


Strike a Chord

by UltimateProtagonistNerd



Category: Homestuck
Genre: 4 chords, Angst, Humanstuck, M/M, RP to Fic, Romantic Angst, Romantic entanglements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-06
Updated: 2015-09-11
Packaged: 2018-03-15 23:30:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 20,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3466019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UltimateProtagonistNerd/pseuds/UltimateProtagonistNerd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on an RP I had been in. Translated meticulously from RP to Fic, just for you guys!</p><p>4 Chords originally by Emily Hu. Seeing as nothing for this particular AU has been done in a long time, consider this a type of "spiritual successor" to it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Emotional Shit River

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the roleplay this is based on, my partner decided to make Dave incredibly hipster. As I exclaimed "because God knows that NYC needs more of those"
> 
> I hope you enjoy these two angsty college-age weirdos attempting to babble about feelings in our first installment

It was a chilly day in the city of New York; the streets were filled, buzzing with people, as vibrant and loud (or Obnoxious, depending on how pissed off you currently are) as it always was. Despite the cold being so strong you could see your breathe in it, the sun was shining brightly from its position in the sky. Sitting down at a street corner, observing everyone going by, was one of the perpetually pissed off citizens of this fair city, his name was Karkat Vantas and he was holding some newspaper classifieds under his arm.

Cars honked at each other, Taxis filed in and out of the lines to pick up people to bring them to any damn destination they could ever need. He reads over the jobs available as listed in today’s _Times._ Not noticing somebody that he knows walk out of the Starbucks behind him.

Enter Dave Strider, wearing loosely around his neck a red plaid scarf, and sipping some coffee. He notices his old pal from high school and college and watches behind for a few moments. He hadn’t hung out with this guy in forever, not since Karkat had dropped out. Dave stared down at his red converse shoes, and he thought about how things had been different since then. Hell, even HE himself had been different since that day.

Karkat rubs his eyes; he was incredibly tired from not being able to sleep for the past few days. Up practicing the job interview with his roommate so he wouldn’t screw this up. He catches something out of the corner of them.

“Strider?” he exclaims, seeing his friend and looking up and down at the attire. Dave is (beside the scarf) wearing a grey and red plaid button down and red skinny jeans. Around his wrists were rubber bracelets.

With his free hand Strider waves, and he says “Hey Vantas. Long time no see.”

Karkat straightens out his back a little, “Yeah, I guess it’s been a while”

Dave pulls himself forward to where Karkat was sitting, placing himself on the bench next to him. Both of them just watch the cars before either of them speak. Dave is the one who breaks the silence.

“Why’d you drop out?”

This was a difficult question for Karkat to answer, “Well… you see”, he hesitated, “it just kind of saved a shit ton of time and money that I didn’t have.”

Dave nods, “I get that”. Then he hums and pulls out a small, ringed book, a journal. He writes down something in small, neat lettering just like any time ideas for a song’s lyrics came to him.

Karkat cranes his neck to try and look at it over Dave’s shoulder, commenting “Still writing some music? Maybe we could get Gamzee to all fucking up and strum chords for that.”

Dave pulls his shades down briefly, looking disturbed at the suggestion, “I’d rather that he not, Karks.”

“Well why not? He’s pretty good at playing asshole hipster music.”

“A lot of it isn’t ‘hipster music’, it’s personal as fuck too” he shrugs, “you wouldn’t get it, and I already write that shit for myself.”

Karkat retorts, “Oh, so the mysterious shades boy feels emotions? I thought Striders were supposed to be automaton ninjas.”

Dave lets out a chuckle, “Oh we are, I’ve just been programmed to feel”.

Karkat kicks a soda can off the curb that had been lying at his feet, allowing it to be crunched under a passing cars wheels. “Seems fucking legit” he says.

The blonde went back down to his notebook and wrote something else and puts on his ash grey beanie, the cold was actually getting to his ears because he was sitting outside. He looks at the other and tilts his head, “You seem down today, why?”

Swinging his legs back and forth under the bench, “Well I’ve got a job interview soon but I wouldn’t necessarily say that makes me sad.”

“Didn’t say you looked sad. Just sadder than usual”, he pauses and things for a moment, “you remember junior year back in high school? How nothing I wrote or played wasn’t depressing as fuck? You look exactly like that music.”

The dark haired boy frowns, “So I look exactly like shitty teen angst poems set to a beat?” he pauses as well, “actually I can’t really object to that metaphor”

“Yes you do,” Dave leans over and pokes his cheek, “I miss when you actually smiled man.”

Karkat looks at the blonde and remarks, “Well turn me in as a fucking creative writing assignment because I feel a bit like a shitty angst poem set to a beat.”

“I just might, heh, my Writing teacher wants me to see a counselor already.” He laughed darkly, “So what’s got you down?”

“I might have recently found out I suck at this whole ‘romance’ thing”

Dave sips some of his latte. “Shit man that sucks. Who fucked up your mental stability?”

Karkat sighs, “Well if I had to pin the blame on somebody, anybody else, I’d say fucking Makara.”

“Damn. That sucks man.” He says before looking back across the two recent pages in his song book.

Karkat looks up at him, “You know that angst trope where they leave you?”

“Yeah”, as he said this Dave’s poker face faltered, but it came back within a second.

“Well that’s where I’m at, like some sad, sappy emo rock music by what are they called? My Chemical Romance?”

Dave laughed, “You probably feel like their song ‘The Ghost of You’ right now.” Dave tugged at his wristband when he was feeling emotional; he did this to keep composed.

“I might have to go read those lyrics… Don’t they have one called “I don’t love you anymore” or some shit?” Karkat ranted, “Because I swear to God if I hear _his_ guitar along with those words I’ll fu-“

Dave had snapped the band against his wrist, he didn’t mind that it hit with a sting. “Might be a different song. I can’t remember.”

Karkat takes his eyes away from the ground and takes a look at his watch. “I guess it’s a good thing you showed up because my interview aren’t for a while and I don’t think I can handle being early to those..”

He nodded in agreement and stood up, “Hey you wanna head to the park? There’ll be less cars to get hit by”. Dave was still quite the morbid and dark thinker like back then, nonetheless being a hipster.

“As long as that shit’s close by because the building I’m supposed to be getting to is actually really close.”

“Yeah, Central is just across the street,” Dave offered Karkat a hand, “Let’s go”. Karkat hesitates for a few second before taking it to pulling up. After he pulled Karkat up Dave turns and walks towards the park, keeping silent the whole time.  The blonde was walking in front of the other on their travel towards Central Park.

Karkat tries to speak up “So, you doing better in romance than its fallen master?”

Dave basically ignored the question, not giving anything more than a slight shake of his head. “So what jobs are you applying for?”

“Just a couple of ones in some shops.” Karkat responds his hands inside the sleeves of his hoodie, curling the wrist holes inward.

Dave shrugged and sat on a bench once they got well enough into Central, leaving room next to him for Karkat. “Sounds cool.”

Karkat sat himself beside Dave, “Strider, it feels like you were evading my simple question earlier”

“I don’t think I recall hearing any question” Dave said, staring at his feet.

“No, I’m pretty sure you heard the question well enough but your repressive emotional tendencies didn’t want you to.” Karkat pauses after having entered psychologist mode, “Dear God, in my more shit-munching state, am I turning into Dr. Phil?”

The rubber band can be heard snapping again, “You’re like a bad mixture of Dr. Phil and Rose right now.”

Karkat looks around the ground at both of their feet, searching. “Was there a snap just now? Is someone’s shoe untied?”

Dave looked obviously nervous despite his shades being on. “I don’t know what that could be, Karks.”

Karkat glances at Dave’s wrist and sees a somewhat colorful band wrapped around it, while Dave was still playing around with it. “Could that piece of colorful shit rubbery plastic monstrosity be making that noise? I mean I looked at the ugly rags I call my shoes and they were fine.”

Dave hid the band as well he could, while he was talking, under some of the other bracelets he was wearing. “Could what have made that sound now?”

Karkat scowls, “Okay Strider, I know you and I’m not going to fall into some stupid damn Abbot and Costello routine with you. Every time I say something that could potentially strike, let’s say a “chord”, an audible snapping occurs.”

“You’re just…” the cool kid chuckles, “hearing things. Yep, you’re totally hearing things.”

“So, I’m hearing things, huh? Is that it now? Am I just going off the goddamn deep end because of some mohawked wheelchair bound “BRO” stealing my roommate/boyfriend?”

“Wait you and Gamzee were _dating_?” Dave says, tilting his head to the side.

“Well sort of but it’s more complicated and… wait, we haven’t caught up at all since like… was it last year when I was still in college?”

Dave sighed and looked down at his hands, “Yeah, I think it was.” He played around with the rubber but didn’t snap it, looking at the reddening color of his skin around it.

“Well I guess it kind of began about that time… I think it might be over by this point. I could just be overreacting to their increased time spent together… that happens right?” Karkat doesn’t seem to be convinced by his own words, scowl deepening as he looks down.

“Well that depends. How much do you know about their relationship? Like, how close have they been recently?” He asked, already preparing to smack himself with the band.

“To me it just seems way to close for comfort to how our sort of thing began. I’m seeing all these parallels and they even go to places where I can’t be.”

“End it now. He may or may not know it but he’s starting something with Tavros.” Dave sighed and the familiar snapping rang out again.

“There! There it fucking was again! I get into my sappy feelings towards a big clown lug obsessed with fizzy multicolored drinks and then it. Just. Happens.”

“W-what are you talking about? I hear n-nothing.” He was worried the other might notice him stuttering, and silently cursed his voice for wavering.

“I think I know what you’re doing now Strider, I haven’t just been looking at my feet this entire time, just to let you fucking know.”

Dave mumbled under his breath “Damn it Karkat why must you notice everything about me?”

“Because you’re stuck with a prick that notices and analyzes everything… Okay you’re actually stuck with more than one of those since there is Rose.”

“Karkat, Rose doesn’t know about the rubber bands, only you do.” Dave huffed.

“It’s pretty fucking difficult not to notice the damn things as they break my train of thought as if they were a rail-side bombing!”

“It’s better than if I were to spill some emotional shit on your face.” He looked down at his hands again, eyes trailing to the bright red on his wrist. How did he stop noticing how red THAT was?

The boy in the hoodie gets agitated “How about a little goddamn give and take because Lord knows I’ve been drowning you people in my emotional shit river for years! Just imagine a river, literally made out of shit, and a boat that has no floaties or life rafts. The river is me and my issues, and the boat is inhabited by everyone else I know!”

“Sorry Karks. My issues are mine to deal with. Burdening people with my problems would put more weight on them. Plus, it would add to your emotional shit river.”

“Well would you look at the goddamn time, time to get me some interviews. Maybe you could contact me later over the internet or something Strider. As always I am still carcinoGeneticist on mostly everything.”

He sighed watching Karkat get up and walk away, “I’ll call you at some point, maybe tweet.”

Dave stood silently as the other left, checking his watch. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> During the course of the RP that inspired this, my favorite bit of in-joking was "Why are artists gay?"
> 
> And the conclusion we came to was, because. And certainly both of us fit somewhat into the artist stereotype, but I'm just a writer so I don't know if I count as an artist.
> 
> P.S. Goddamn this chapter was long by my usual standards.
> 
> P.P.S I hope this doesn't dissapoint, here goes nothing.


	2. In Which Dave totally isn't a mess anymore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karkat comes back from the interviews and begins messaging his pal.

The interviews went smoother than Karkat was expecting them to go, which was way better for his mood for the hour and a half or so spent talking to suited jack-offs, rather than thinking about his ‘situation’. He walked back his way home, glancing up at buildings and the sky they were touching, beginning to be nagged at by stuff going on at home.

Speaking of home, as soon as he gets there he hops onto his laptop and check any messages it may have received. One message was there, and it was from Dave. Who was still sitting around central park.

**\--turntechGodhead began pestering carcinoGeneticist—**

**TG: hey man how’d the interviews go?**

**CG: WELL I DIDN’T FUCK ANYTHING UP TOO BADLY, I’M STILL ALIVE**

**TG: that’s good. Hope you get at least one of those jobs.**

**CG: YEAH, THAT WAY I CAN AT LEAST CHOOSE WHICH BOSS TO TELL TO FUCK OFF**

**TG: don’t tell your boss to fuck off Karks. I did, didn’t end well. Still have the job but not I’m kind of frightened**

**CG: WELL YOUR BOSS CAN FUCK OFF TOO AND I DON’T KNOW WHO THEY EVEN FUCKING ARE**

**CG: AND SPEAKING OF FUCKING OFF, I STILL HAVEN’T TOLD GAMZEE TO DO SO. I DON’T HAVE THE GUTS EVEN THOUGH THE RATIONAL SEGMENT OF MY MIND IS SCREAMING AT ME TO DO SO.**

**TG: you need to call him over. I’ll even be there for you**

**CG: UM, WELL HERE IS AN EVEN MORE AWKWARD PART, HE’S MY ROOMMATE**

During this exchange Karkat opened up another tab on the internet and looked through Youtube to find some music to listen to. After searching a bit and not really finding anything interesting, something finally catches his eyes. Dave had posted a song, judging by date and time stamp it was uploaded early this morning. Karkat decided to click on it and have a listen.

**TG: shit man you’re screwed, you could come live with me, I live off campus.**

**CG: MAYBE WE’LL HAMMER OUT A DEAL ON WHICH OF US LEAVES THIS HELLHOLE, BUT IF PUSH COMES TO SHOVE IT UP MY ASS THEN I’LL FORCE MYSELF TO WALTZ OVER TO YOUR SHITSHACK, KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND MOVE ON IN**

The video starts up, Dave standing in front of the camera, and he isn’t wearing his shades. He clears his throat; “Hello internet… So this is a song that I wrote just a couple of days ago. It’s called “Don’t Leave Me Here Alone” and uh, I hope you enjoy it.”

He test strums the guitar set on his knee in the chair. Fine tuning it until it sounded right. He plays a dark sounding tune, and 30 seconds in the lyrics start up. They were sad, slow, and haunting.

**TG: hey, I’ve changed. I’m not a total mess any more.**

_My heart was stone before we met, but you changed me_

_You melted something into on, fixed it, loved it_

_You said I was your everything, but that was then, before you killed me_

_Before I decided I had to end_

Tears were streaming down his face in the video, this song’s bridge sounded like a piece of a writing project back when they had classes together. Karkat didn’t quite remember weather Dave had told him what the verse was referring to, but when Karkat considered the timeframe it must have been Terezi.

**TG:  you still fucking there?**

**TG: karkat?**

Karkat couldn’t think of who it might be, after all Dave was over the Terezi thing since… He stared at the screen for minutes, squinting.

**TG: karkat**

**TG: karkat vantas**

**CG: WHAT IS IT “MR NOT A MESS ANY MORE”?**

**TG: my apartment is a three bed three bath pent house. i've got room if you ever need a break.**

**CG: I GUESS I COULD, IT SOUNDS LARGER THAN MY PLACE**

**TG: exactly. if you decide for any reason you need a break from gm, come over here.**

**CG: SURE THING BUDDY**

**TG: anyways, I’m gonna tune up my guitar now, make the right choice karkat and listen to your heart**

**CG: PUTTING MY PROBLEMS WITH FEELING SHIT FOR AN OAF ASIDE**

**CG: AND YES THIS DOES RELATE TO YOUR GUITAR**

**CG: I DON’T FUCKING UNDERSTAND THE SHIT I’VE JUST SEEN ON MY GODDAMN COMPUTER MONITOR.**

**TG: was it guitar porn?**

**CG: NOW, I MIGHT JUST BE MENTAL HERE**

**CG: AND THIS WAS SOME FUCKED UP HALLUCINATION**

**CG: IN WHICH YOU CRIED ALL OVER THE GUITAR, YOU GAVE IT A REALLY NICE BATH THERE**

**TG: what are you talking about?**

**CG: IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS EARLIER TODAY ON YOUTUBE**

**TG: only people I give access to can see my videos, and I gave nobody access.**

**TG: also, striders don’t cry**

**CG: WHICH IS PROBABLY WHY I THINK IT’S A HALLUCINATION, BUT NO HERES THE LINK**

**TG: karkat I have permission to watch my own videos**

**TG: wait why do you have a link to it?**

**TG: shit, I didn’t privatize it**

**CG: BECAUSE ITS APPARENTLY RIGHT HERE**

**CG: ON MY SCREEN**

**CG: I COULD SEND A PICTURE FOR FURTHER PROOF**

**TG: don’t. I need to go now karkat, I can’t breathe**

**CG: ARE YOU OKAY?**

**TG: probably, I dunno, my chest is tight and I can’t breathe**

**CG: DRINK SOME WATER**

**TG: what?**

**TG: how will that help?**

**CG: THE FUCK IF I KNOW, I MAY HAVE DROPPED OUT OF BIOLOGY BUT I KNOW WATER WORKS GODDAMN MIRACLES**

**TG: karkat, I have just one question**

**CG: YEAH?**

**TG: what does shaking, tight chest, and trouble breathing, oh biology dropout?**

**CG: EITHER YOU’RE HAVING A HEART ATTACK OR ARE UPSET ABOUT SOMETHING**

**CG: YEAH ITS AN EMBARASSING VIDEO UP ON THE INTERNET**

**CG: BUT IT WAS TOUCHING**

**CG: THAT CRYING WAS THE ONLY THIN THAT I ACTUALLY WAS WORRIED ABOUT**

**TG: well fuck, I’ll have to delete my youtube stuff now**

**CG:  ARE YOU OKAY OVER THERE?**

**TG: am I ever not?**

**CG: EVIDENTLY FUCKING NOT SHITNUGGET, IN THE VIDEO YOU CERTAINLY DIDN’T LOOK TO BE IN THE REMOTE BALLPARK OF OKAY**

**TG: …stop bringing that up would you**

**CG: I HOPE YOU DON’T MIND BUT, I’M GOING OVER THERE**

**CG: RIGHT NOW**

**CG: A GAMZEE-FREE VACATION FOR ME**

**TG: fine.**

**TG: just stay out of my room.**


	3. Hold Some Fucking Standards

Karkat walked into Dave's apartment after learning its address. Immediately after entering the doorway, he left his stuff on the couch.

“Greetings to any and all jackasses that may be inside this apartment. This includes but is NOT limited to Striders or maybe a ghost. Maybe a ghost Strider too.” Karkat plops himself down next to his stuff on the couch.

Dave was in the mirror putting on concealer, “In the main room Karkat. You’re here.”

“So, nice place you’ve got here Hip McCoolkid”

“Thanks man, it’s a great place.”

“Is there like, going to be some kind of tour like in some movies? And then you have one room in particular I’m not allowed to even touch.”

“Just… don’t go into my room is all.”

“Where do I get to stay?”

Dave backed away from the mirror and shut the container of concealer. “Down the hall, first door on the left.” Karkat entered said room.

“My rooms at the end of the hall, the only time you’re allowed to so much look inside is if you need me for something.”

“And there’s a second guest room? When do you have a second guest? When did you get friends, plural, coming over?”

Dave hummed thinking and tapping a finger against the frame of the door. “What friends? I mean, I used to have Eridan or Sollux over a lot…” Shrugging, he says “Other than that I haven’t had anyone in months.”

“So then what the fuck is the use of having two extra bedrooms?”

“Bro visits sometimes, so I wanted a room for him in case I actually got a roommate.”

Karkat swings himself off of the bed and coughs into his sleeve, walking past Dave towards the front. “I’m going to drag my shit into my room.”

The Blond followed closely behind, “You need any help with that? Oh, I also have a shit ton of romcoms here, so a good ole marathon run is fine.”

The other was already carrying the stuff over his shoulders, “Nope, that won’t be necessary, it’s just my laptop and backpack, I have my shit together.”

Dave spent the time tuning his guitar, television on some ironic musical while Karkat unpacked and got himself acquainted with the room. Karkat walked out into the front room to see Dave playing around with his grey and red gauge earrings. He announced that “I moved my shit into my new toilet bowl, and by that I mean room.”

The hipster huffed, “And I cleaned all this morning too, You wound me Karkat.”

“Oh, cleaning all morning huh?”

“Yeah, I cleaned until I went out. And that video was made at 3 AM.”

“Let me just hazard a guess, blaming _that_ on lack of sleep?”

He was looking at his hands now. “To blame for what?”

“The fact I even fucking know what the hell you’re talking about, prickbag.”

Dave stares out, beyond even the television in front of them. Karkat’s continued rant pulls him slightly back into reality.

“You know, I’ve been fucking pondering about it for a while now-“

“Why it wasn’t on a private setting?”

“Yeah that, and why the fuck it was more depressing than I would have thought beforehand. And here I thought my problems were thoroughly fucking terrible.”

“Jesus Christ how depressing was it?!” Including Karkat, only two of his friends had ever seen him cry before.

“Well if I _had_ to put it on a scale.”

“You’re putting it on a scale?”

“I’d have to put it slightly below “how could this happen to me/ I’ve made my mistakes/ life goes on as I’m fading away” but for sure above-”

Dave quips “Good thing you didn’t hear my other songs then.”

Interrupted, Karkat’s interest is grabbed. “Wow what, really? Probably shouldn’t have said that, shitmunch. Because now I’m definitely am going to try and forcefully rip them out of any possible nook and cranny.”

“I shouldn’t have said that… at all” he sighs. Mumbling and shaking his head. “I just have to keep my songbook where you won’t find it and I’ll be safe… you don’t know my computer or phone passwords either.”

“Dave, listen. As a real actual friend and not just some asshole, I am currently worried about you.”

Dave shrugs, not quite back from Mumbleville, population: his voice. “You shouldn’t be.”

“Dave, I came all the way here after watching a YouTube video of your literal tears rinsing over a guitar. I’m all flavors of screwed up and I don’t even do that.”

The guitar-playing sad-sack’s breathing was becoming increasingly erratic: "You shouldn't have even seen that Karkat. You shouldn't have known that I did that. Yeah, fine, I’m fucked up emotionally and mentally, but that doesn't matter. How I actually feel DOESN’T matter."

 _Snap. Snap. Snap._ The chord was struck.

Eventually Dave had composed himself after that particular rant, Karkat at his side, whispering to calm down. It strangely, had a much softer tone.

“And how exactly are you feeling? You can tell me.” He goes on, “As I have now dubbed myself as your counselor and am superseding Rose’s authority because it turns out that you’ve got issues even she could somehow not dig up.”

Dave shook his head “I’m fine, it’s not like I’ll do something stupid and wind up dead, that was a high school issue.”

“Nevermind that shit, what I’m wondering about is the FACT that this was OBVIOUSLY some type of fucked-up little love song.”

“John broke up with me last week, found out he’d been cheating.”

“With?”

“I don’t know the guy.”

“This is the same John we are talking about right? Mr “Not-a-Homosexual” was with AT THE LEAST two different guys?!”

“Why are you so surprised?”

“I don’t know, I just fucking took his word that the guy was hetero!”

"He was so obviously gay that he missed it. And it was two guys who weren't me. He's still playing them to."

“Wait I just now fucking realized, after all these goddamn years…”

"What did you realize?"

"I just fucking realized something about the first time I met that bucktoothed asswagon. That's why he thought I was making advances! It all just makes so much fucking sense!" 

"Why'd he think that you were making advances?"

"Because of certain notions regarding children who spit insults out at other asasine assmunching pre-teen fuckheads."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, I'm entirely fucking convinced now, it was exactly like one of the lower-quality teenage films. And they don't hold much quality to begin with." says the person who watches bad romantic comedy all day long.

Dave nods and sighs, "Fair enough." sitting back on the couch looking miserable.

Karkat put a hand on his face, sighing onto it. "Okay, so the gist of the song is that Egbert is a douchebag, do I have that correct?"

"Basically... yeah"

Vantas slammed his hand onto the table he stood by, emulating a gavel. "That does it, I'm calling for an official meeting of Club 'Got our Hearts Broke by Fuckwits'."

Dave looks down, head shaking signaling disapproval "Can we just not talk about cheating assholes?"

"Well I don't know, what do  _you_ think we should do."

"Literally speaking, anything else."

"What we _really_ need here is something to get our minds off of this... like grabbing some burgers?"

Dave was getting spacey, like back in high school, he'd get like that before eventually just hopping up and yelling something like "I've gotta go home", just sitting and tapping his foot, not responding to any stimuli. You could show the guy porn and nothing would happen, not that Karkat would do that. (blame Terezi)

Karkat sucked in his breathe pacing, "Come on, this place is getting as depressing as thinking about my sort-of kind-of ex. Why am I always around awkward" he hesitates, using a term that he used like, once before *cough* "...fuckasses?"

"Sorry you got stuck with me Karks," Dave shrugs "you won't escape the depressing shit." It was getting hard to look at him like that.

"Straighten your back and put a damn smile on that face Strider, after all in the park you told me you missed mine," he flashed a smile for just a brief moment, looking down at his own feet before looking Dave in the shade-covered eyes, "Coolkids are more appealing with smiles, hold some fucking standards."


	4. Whataya Want From Me?

Dave sat there gloomily, “I have standards. I just don’t meet them. There’s no point to. Not like I’ve got anybody to impress.”

 Karkat rolls his eyes “There is ALL the goddamned point to it. HOW exactly are you going to get ANYBODY impressed if you don’t try because there is nobody currently TO impress? That is the kind of counter-intuitive bullshit the drives idiots into never-ending cyclical black holes of self-loathing from which there is little to no chance of escape.”

“Because I’m giving up here and now, not like if I met my own standards I’d be decent. I’m not attractive, not nice, I am nothing. I’ll just go die alone.”

“What did you just fucking say?” Karkat scowled, hand slamming down on the table. “Strider, you better listen the FUCK up here to what I’m going to say next.” The dark-haired male was going into rant mode as of right now; Dave sat and prepared to get chewed out.

“Not attractive? Not nice? Nothing?! Like SHIT you are, take those words you are using, pull them from the thing you call a skull, and discard them in a trashcan somewhere because that is where they fucking belong, that’s what those thoughts are: Garbage. I’ve known you for how damn long? There are only positive things that I’ve heard from just about everybody: boys, girls, and any other gender there may be, said about you. You know what those are?” Karkat mocks a higher pitched voice, sort of like a valley girl “Oh wow, what a hottie! What a cool, attractive, mysterious hunk.” And he goes back to his regular voice. “There were whistles and “hot dayums” abundant!”

His arms raised into the air, exasperated, fingers pointing wildly at himself, “I’m not as down on myself right now as you are, and I am literally, LITERALLY the angry hoodie kid with dark circles under his eyes, filled with a constant, unending rage. People will be sitting there watching me, and they’re just like… ‘oh boy the angry fuck is preaching again’, why not follow the elder’s playbook and run a shitty-ass blog about social justice or whatever, or be like the parents preach, head off to the woods and pray to the Lord, you loser, you don’t have ANY friends besides a creep, a weirdo, and a girl that treats you like you are five!”

Karkat poured himself water, drinking the whole cup before getting back to screaming. “I guess what I really mean to say by all this is that you are incredibly hot and talented and that I am a piece of shit that can’t do romance correctly, so don’t listen to me.” He ends, huffing and shaking, his face red, staring bullets into the target of his rant… or was it a confession… (possibly a rantfession?) and awaited any response.

Dave was astonished to say the least, mouth totally agape by the end of it. “I-I… Karkat.” his rubber band was snapping as he began responding, constantly continuing throughout while he was shaking. “You aren’t shit Karkat. You’re perfect. You’re good to people in your own way. Karkat, you are actually worth something. You know what? Everything you said about me was bullshit.” Dave got up shakily and stormed down the hall and into his room, leaving Karkat standing and blinking. 

Once Dave leaves and the door is heard slamming Karkat sits back down on the couch where the blond had sat previously, and comments to himself: “Well fucking shit I guess that’s a thing that just happened…”

“God damn it Vantas…” he mutters while firmly putting his face in his hands, and curling up sideways on the couch. He places his head on his backpack that was propped up against the arm of the couch. He needed a goddamn nap, so he sighed and tried to fall asleep.

……….

 Dave sat against his bedroom door, thinking about what just happened. “Did I just get seriously ranted at for self-loathing by Karkat? Wasn’t he like, the king of that?” Dave crawls across the floor towards his guitar, moving all of the other musical equipment out of the way. He sat on the bed and placed it across his lap. He started up a song, not one that he had written, but damn was it that conveyed what was needed at the moment, and did it better than anything he made himself. He strummed the opening chords.

_Hey_  
Slow it down  
What do you want from me?  
What do you want from me?   
Yeah   
I’m afraid   
What do you want from me?  
What do you want from me?  
  
There might have been a time when I would give my self away  
Oh once upon a time I didn’t give a damn  
But now   
Here we are  
So what do you want from me?   
What do you want from me?  
....

Meanwhile in the front room on the couch Karkat Vantas was snoring like a baby, having been lulled to sleep by the words and notes audible down the hallway of the apartment, content in his location.

....

_Just don’t give up_  
I’m working it out  
Please don’t give in   
I won’t let you down   
It messed me up  
Need a second to breathe.  
Just keep coming around.  
Hey!   
What do you want from me?  
What do you want from me?  
What do you want from me?  
  
Yeah,   
It’s plain to see (It’s plain to see)  
Baby your beautiful   
There is nothing wrong with you (nothing wrong with you)  
It’s me   
I’m a freak   
But thanks for loving me   
'Cause you’re doing it perfectly (perfectly)  
  
Yeah, there might have been a time when I will let you slip away  
I wouldn’t even try   
But I think you could save my life.

_...._

Karkat was out cold as a rock in the dead of a New York City winter, not able to consciously hear the lyrics as it continued, and as it ended. Dave sat on the bed and put the guitar aside.

Dave just then realized it had been a while since he actually had eaten anything, and it was around dinner hour, so he got up and decided he might as well prepare some dinner. He cooked in the kitchen that was in the next room over from where Karkat lay in his nap.

Upon finishing Dave walked in and tried shaking Karkat up to give him some. "Hey, Karks, get up." The other gets up slowly, and groggily.

"Gam?"

Dave shook his head, sighing, it was hard trying to wake Karkat up from the nap when he himself was rather sleep deprived and hungry as well. "Nope, it's Dave."

"D...Dave?"

"Yeah. It's me, I made you dinner."

It just now hit Karkat where he was currently "Dinner? What kind of ungodly hour is it that you're making dinner?"

"It's seven o'clock at night and I'm making you eat."

"I was napping it up at seven o'clock? Shit." he rubbed his eyes, clearly a certain somebody's influence had rubbed off on his speaking patterns.

"There's food for you on the table, now go and eat it."

He sits up, gunk not fully cleared yet. "Oh, you didn't have to Strider."

"Well I wanted to" he sighs, still kneeling near the couch.

"I mean, I won't object to a freshly cooked meal but I could have always just stolen and then reheated some leftovers."

"I finished making this five minutes ago. Not a big deal."

Karkat pulled into a chair as Dave watched him move over to it, taking a spot on the couch "So what do we have for dinner?" Karkat asked.

"Macaroni and Cheese Casserole."

"Well it just _might_ be better than leftover pizza slices, buffalo wings, and an equivalent volume to Manhattan's worth of Faygo."

He nodded in agreement with Karkat's statement, darkness clouding up his mind. He found himself laying on the couch, while Karkat ground the bits of Macaroni into chunks and swallowed. 

"You know, I'd say this casserole tastes like ass but it isn't actually that bad. Also I have never actually tasted ass, just in case you were wondering."

Dave didn't respond.

"Hey, Dave, you still there?"

There was a quiet breathing coming from the couch, but no words.

Karkat stares over at where the blond lay, talking in between putting more cheese-covered noodles into his gullet. "Well... that's what you get... for being up at 3 AM... to upload shitty emo music... you attractive fucking hipster prick."

Yep, here he was, talking to a person who wasn't conscious at the moment due to lack of food and sleep, though Karkat probably didn't know the half of it.

"So fuck you and fuck this macaroni."

Karkat finishes his plate and moves over to Dave, thinking he'd probably like to wake up on an actual bed. However, Karkat decided "fuck it" because he wasn't going to drag this asshole down an entire apartment in order to put him in one. He wraps Dave in some blankets from a closet and moves his bag to act as Dave's new pillow, and laid a smooch on the other's forehead. After that he decided that it was time for him to retire to his room and doze off for the night himself. And both of them were asleep until the next morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song used was, obviously, Adam Lambert's "Whataya Want From Me?"


	5. This is a Friend Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Between last chapter's posting and this one, an unfortunate development occurred in which I had no access to our roleplay for about a week (internet service related problems, damn Comcast/"Xfinity"), and my partner eventually gave up on it, but we made plans to meet up on Cherubplay... which hasn't worked out just yet, I hope they are reading this, and reading the prompt I put up almost every day or two at our usual appointed times. 
> 
> However, looking at this one from the bright side I still have 3 more files on hand of what we did get, which should be enough to get 3 (or more) chapters out of this until we can pick it up again.

Dave woke up the next morning on the couch wrapped in a blanket, confused. He got up anyway thinking ‘time to make Karkat’ breakfast. Karkat is sleeping in unusually late.

In his guest room, Karkat was stirring, thoughts whirling a bit. He could just picture Gamzee’s sad face back at their shithole of an apartment, musing on what reason he could have lost his “snuggle motherfucker” for. And on the computer, neither boy realizes family members have left them messages regarding upcoming visits to New York.

Dave was still dizzy like last night, but now he was preparing some waffles. Soon he fell out of it and passed out on the floor, overcooking (actually, more like burning to a crisp) the waffles. Karkat hobbled out of his room half dressed, cranky and muttering several obscenities before shutting off the stove and tossing the waffles onto a plate. “The fuck is this shit Strider?”

Dave had no idea what was happening, no idea that he’d gotten a text, or that Karkat was in the kitchen cleaning up this mess.

“Burning the fucking breaks, haul your ass off that floor immediately!” Karkat flipped the fan on to blow away the smoke. He threw the charred waffles onto a plate and slammed that onto the table top, sitting down in a chair next to them.

Dave pulled himself together and stood up, glancing over at the table to see Karkat and a plate of food. “When did I finish cooking?”

“You didn’t dipshit. The place would have burnt down if I weren’t here.” He said, Dave noticing him clad in a tank top and boxer shorts.

“Oh…” he just held his head down as he passed the table and sat on the couch.

“Come and eat these fucking waffles with me, I managed to salvage this much” Karkat showed him the plate with what was still potentially edible.

“I think I’ll be fine.”

“We both know that’s a fucking lie assbasket. Come eat.”

“…”

“Skipping breakfast causes health problems and shit.” He says, munching on the brown-black waffle topped with a smidge of butter.

The blond sighed, nodded and sat at the table, holding his head. He slowly tried to eat one. “I know it does Karkat…”

Karkat comments “I think I heard your phone buzz while I saved us from the fate of inhaling deadly singed waffle smog.”

“Oh shit….” He pulled out his phone, reading the text and cursing “Shit!” He jumped up and left the waffle with only a light nibble ever taken out of it. “Rose is coming over…”

“Oh yeah?” Kar’s black eyebrows arch up while he chowed down on the so-called waffle. “What she say?”

“She’s coming to make sure I’m taking care of myself.”

“Ha, if anything I’ve seen this past day is an indication, she won’t be impressed, probably even-“

“Karkat… You’ve gotta help me...”

“And how will I be any help?”

“Just make sure that it looks like I’m taking care of myself!”

“Ugh, I’m not even sure I could pass her standards of caring for oneself.”

“Yeah, you’re right! I’ll just call in and tell her I’m sick.”

“Just where the fuck, do you think I suggested that? I’ve got a the ability to plan, douche“

Dave started pacing around the kitchen, like a mother when she’s worrying for her kids.

“Let’s go and grab some milkshakes and junk at a burger place, and send her damn picture of it or something. Call it a “date”, that’ll make her think you’ve got your shit mentally and/or emotionally together.”

“Karkat she’s coming over at two thirty today!” he breathed, trying to stay calm, and looked at Karkat. “Yeah… oh yeah! That might work, let’s do that.”

“But before that I’m going to be in the fucking shower if you need me.”

He nodded before shakily pulling out his phone in order to text Rose.

**Rose: Oh yes, that’s so Mr. Strider?**

**Dave: yeah I am. I’m all set.**

**Rose: I see. May I inquire about your date?**

**Dave: I’d appreciate if you left it alone actually**

**Rose: Really? No clueing a sister in on the cute person?**

**Dave: it’s a boy and that’s all you get.**

**Rose: Oh that’s right. Weren’t you and that totally not gay John Egbert a thing? Is it him?**

**Dave: not any more as of last week, this is a friend date**

**Rose: Ah, that’s a shame; you guys were cute to be honest. You can talk to me when I get there, we’re almost to NYC.**

**Dave: no rose, go home. I don’t want to talk to you.**

**Dave: I already have someone staying here**

**Rose: Come now David. It’s good to have family over once in a spell.**

**Dave: I’m having bro over next month, go the fuck home**

**Rose: But we’ve already pulled up in the station, you’re place marked on the map.**

**Rose: I brought Kanaya.**

**Dave: go. home.**

**Rose: David**

**Dave: i’m serious. take your girlfriend and go home.**

**Rose: Aww, okay. I shall.**

**Rose: Although, in my new plan I may still see you, we’re going to tour around the city, maybe pay Lady Liberty a visit.**

**Dave: fine, just try to stay away though, okay?**

**Rose: Okay. We’ll ‘try’.**

Just then Karkat walks into the room fully dressed and pulling his hoodie on over his head. Dave turns off the phone and flips the screen down, pocketing it.

The darker haired of the two spoke first, “We’re, uh, we’re still going to that place right?”

The blond responds “Yeah we are. Just let me get clean and dressed. Okay?”

“Sure, I can wait for you.”

“Thanks”

Dave pecked Karkat’s forehead with a kiss as he passed. After Dave entered his room, Karkat sat on the couch, rubbing the spot on his head that got kissed, blushing almost totally red. “Why would he…”

The other showed up in the main room again after around ten minutes. His hair still slightly wet, but combed smooth. He was wearing a black shirt with red plaid over it, loose black scarf tied around his neck, and black plugs in his gauges, and of course those hipster bracelets. God damn.

“You ready to go Karkat?”

“I’ve been ready.”

“Then get off that couch and let’s roll.”

Karkat hops off of the couch and follows behind Dave, who is twirling his keys about his pointer finger. Dave opens the door for him, letting Karkat out first politely, and shutting the door behind them, locking it and humming.

After they reach the lot at the bottom of the stairs and reach the street, Dave slips his hand around Karkat’s, still humming a tune.

Karkat looked down to his hand, and back up to Dave. “Um, not that I mind but, what the actual living taint-riding hell are you doing now?”

He shrugged. “Nothing.”

“Oh I think you fucking are doing something Strider.” He mumbles, even though he was holding his hand back.

“Take a guess and shut up. We’re going to the food.”

Karkat clams up and the two walk towards their destination hand in hand. Dave pulled him in close for a moment and kissing his forehead again. He freed Karkat, apparently content with the touchy-feely stuff for now.

“Let’s see… besides that just happening, the place should be just around the corner.” And sure enough, it was.

“Sounds great Karks.”

They get up around the corner and Karkat points the place out, he opens the door, allowing Dave to enter first. He brings him to a table in the back corner and they pick up the menus placed there.  They sit in the same side of the booth, Dave basically trapping Karkat there. Dave grins like a dork while he keeps back temptations of wrapping an arm around the other again. They read over the options on the menu.

Karkat was practically hiding himself in his. “Uh, so what are you thinking of getting?”

Dave thought he could just get like, a chicken salad. But hesitated because of what Karkat may think. He sighed, deciding to lie “I don’t know, what’s good?” he looked to his watch. Oh Christ was it already twelve thirty? That meant that he’d gotten up just at just about noon.

“Everything is good, I regularly frequent here.”

Shades boy smirks “’Regularly frequent’ is pretty redundant, Karks”

“Oh screw off Strider, you got the point about how often I show up here.”

“Yeah I do,” Dave sucked it up when somebody arrived to serve them “I was just gonna have a Cesar Salad.”

“I’m personally going for a burger and onion rings, with a milkshake.”

He realized that it came with drinks and added “I’ll have a Pepsi”

The order’s price was added up old fashioned and the waiter asked for payment which, despite his lack of much funds, Karkat pays with a wad of cash that had been stashed in the pocket of his hoodie. After that employee left, Dave glared at Karkat angrily through his sunglasses, face screaming, “Let me pay next time, asshole”

Karkat just shrugged, “I had enough money in my pocket, and I was the one that dragged you out in the first place, it was on me. I don’t see anything wrong with me paying.”

“You, Mr. Vantas, have no source of income of your own. I work in a Twinkie factory. I’m the twink in the Twinkie factory.”

“Wow, that’s a shitty-ass job if I’ve ever heard one.”

“Oh come on, I get paid. And I do photography and other stuff on the side, and that pays better.” Dave thought, working on the side projects really did cut into his hours.

“Well next time is on you, if that’s what you want.”

The food arrived, placed in front of them gently on the plates.

Dave talking about jobs again makes him recall his boss, he rubs his shoulder. “Good. Next time I’m not allowing you to pay.”

Karkat crunches an onion ring. “Although, I’ll PROBABLY have a job next time, you know.”

Dave takes a stab at the salad with his fork, eating calmly. "Still..."

Karkat takes another bite, and puts down the burger, eyes averted down and towards his lap, sadness pooling into his facial features, reminiscing. "You uh, you want to know something... Dave?"

Dave looks at him, giving a nod.

"This is um, the place where," his fingers gestured quotations around certain phrases "um "we" kind of went out to... sometimes... after "things" happened."

Dave took a moment to think of who Karkat could be referring to, he'd never been in this place ever before so... oh... Gamzee. He looks down too, sighing softly, "Oh... wow, um, I'm sorry..."

"It's also... my father kind of knew this guy from some peace core mission or some shit."

Dave eats more leaves. "That's pretty cool man."

Karkat reached into his bag and pulled out his laptop to use the wi-fi, good thing not everything about the joint was 100 percent old fashioned. He logs in, and browses the internet and instant messaging.

Dave felt... ignored to say the least now, seeing the laptop brought out, zoning out briefly, vaguely hearing Karkat nudge and speak to him.

"I guess this is only fair trade for us missing out on Rose..."

"Huh?"

"Dave, Earth to Dave. Is Dave seated properly in his mind vessel?"

"Oh! Sorry, yeah, I'm good."

"I've just gotten... this." he sounds nervous.

"What... is it?"

Karkat points at the screen, a message with a time stamp from several hours ago this morning. It was from Kankri.

**[Hello Karkat, I have taken the opportunity to, how they say, "swing" by New York City to visit you. Checking up on your well-being. I am sorry I don't get around to checking on you up there enough, but as you know I am a very busy person on all fronts, there are events to organize and, as always, my blog to run. You know i do receive quite a few questions there regarding my activism in the local area. I have already contacted your roommate about some sleeping arrangements. Seeing as your place is rather full I decided to stay at a hotel several blocks away. I will be there to say hello at noon. Signing out, love, Kankri**

"This means he's already here"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leaving you on a cliffhanger guys... hope to see you next chapter!


	6. In Which Kankri Performs a Microaggression

Karkat scrolled past Kankri, muttering obscenity under his breathe. Then, another badly timed message showed up, this time from his roommate, who is notable right now for causing Karkat’s current emotional state by dating a certain wheelchair kid.

**[Yooooo best friend, *smooch* where are you up in?]**

Dave leans in, whispering “Tell him you’re with me and shit.” Causing Karkat to almost ask ‘With you or _with_ you’, he resists and types back.

**[I’M HANGING OUT WITH ONE OF MY OTHER FRIENDS RIGHT NOW]**

**[WeLl I jUsT HaD No SnUgGlEbUd lAsT NiGhT]**

**[YEAH, WELL, I’M SORRY ABOUT THAT]**

“I think… I need to walk back to the apartment…” Dave was feeling sick, mind spinning and racing at the same time. He stands up and starts for the door, but his sleeve is caught by Karkat’s hand. He turns to the grousing boy “Is there something wrong Karkat?”

“Hell yeah there is something wrong. You’re abandoning me you dumbass douchefuck.”

Dave sighed and sat back down, stomach churning. “Yeah, sorry I’ll… stay”

“If you need to go to the bathroom or out for some fresh air that’s fine, just don’t ditch me here, all alone, for me to deal with this Kankri situation.”

“Nah, I’ll be fine. Just tell Kankri that you’re busy.”

**[SORRY I WAS SO GODDAMN BUSY THAT I COULDN’T TAKE TIME TO LOOK AT THIS AND RESPOND.]**

**[Where are you now? I shall be over to meet you there]**

Karkat hesitated, he didn’t exactly want Kankri here, but once the Kankri gets set on something, there is no chance of stopping it, ever. Telling him to ‘fuck off’ never works, he is immune to that, it only makes him more persistent.

**[YEAH, I’M… AROUND *THAT* RESTAURANT.]**

He breathed in and sighed, the nonstop yapping was imminent. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad though? Kankri could possibly help diffuse the Gamzee issue, for all the useless crap that comes out of his lips some stuff (albeit very little) was actually useful diplomatically.

**[Oh wonderful! I am rather close by, so I should have no problem reaching you in approximately five minutes, I’ll see you there!]**

“He’s coming, but that’s alright” Karkat lets out a nervous laugh “Hopefully it won’t be too irritating to hear his voice today?”

“Yeah… maybe” Dave rests his face on the table.

“Did you read some of my on-going Makara-related debacle messages? Is that why you’re so sad right now?”

“Sad? Me? Yeah, I read some of it, I’m not sad.”

“How are you reacting to it then, Mr. Table-to-face?”

“I feel sick”

“Huh, it can’t be the food because this place is high-quality, food always cooked thoroughly and not a speck of dirt is allowed in the kitchen. It’s a real tight ship.”

“It couldn’t be the food because I’ve hardly eaten it.”

“Well maybe you’re sick because you haven’t been eating, asshole.”

“That’s a thing…?”

“Yeah, it affects a whole continent worth of people on a daily basis, people that can’t afford food, I’m pretty well sure you can afford some damn food.”

Dave sighs, “Well, Shit…” and gets back up, trying to eat. A few moments pass, feeling much longer than they were, in which Karkat glanced around. Kankri could be anywhere now, but he hadn’t arrived yet, so time to talk was still available.

Karkat cleared his throat “…When will it be a good time to tell him what I need to?”

“Gamzee or Kankri?”

Karkat was looking off somewhere in the distance, pouting, his voice coming out in a manner similar to a lost child, very much without its usual sharp edge. “The clown asshole, not the wordy asshole.”

“As soon as you see him again in person, hell, I can even go with you.”

“No… I don’t think that’s a good idea. He’s liable to almost certainly jump to conclusions about things.”

“Won’t Kankri think that and tell him that you and I are a thing?”

“I don’t fucking know.”

Dave groaned quietly, forehead pressed to the table. At that point one certain Kankri Vantas walked in to the establishment. The elder Vantas said “Hello” and was waving and smiling at the two as he pulled up and sat himself next to Karkat at the table. Karkat hid his scowling face behind his cheeseburger.

Kankri interlocked his fingers, elbows placed at the table. “How are you?”

Dave doesn’t answer and Karkat lies through his mouthful of ground-up burger material, “I’m… perfectly fine.”

“I am glad you are doing well Karkat.” 

Seeing that Kankri was eyeing Dave with his eyebrows raised, Karkat nudges the blond with one foot and whispers “It’s worth the risk; he’ll keep talking anyway if you don’t respond.”

Dave looked up “Oh, sorry. Yeah, I’m doing fine too.”

“That’s nice to hear, Dawn. I’m glad that Karkat’s hanging out with such a wonderful girl!” Upon whis comment there was a stiff silence for a brief moment. By the time that Kankri realized that he’d fucked things up big time Dave was already out the door and down the street corner.

Karkat stares intently at Kankri, head tilted with his mouth agape. “Dawn? Girl?”

“I forget sometimes that sh- that he is male.”

“I don’t recall getting that memo.”

“What do you mean? He never told you he was a transgender male.”

“Not once, not even in high school. So no, I was not informed.”

“He only got top surgery last year… by God I hope I didn’t hurt him too badly…”

“Hey Kankri, I’ll go fetch DAVE again. Sit here and order food while you think about your ‘microaggression’ or whatever the fuck you call that thing you just pulled. I’m out of here.” He rushed out, heading back the route he recalled Dave’s apartment was situated along, the fair-haired one had a tremendous head start but if he went back home it would be easy to locate him rather quickly and easily, perhaps immediately enough to stop something idiotic as hell from going on.


	7. I'm Not Okay (No Promise of MCR References)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapters TWs: Self Harm and Suicide Attempts
> 
> My names for chapter titles amuse me, even names for the sad chapters.

The home was dark, Dave was alone. Karkat Vantas was minutes away. The camera was rolling and a hipster’s fingers were running across the stringed instrument in his hands. Clearly not all that stable during this process.

Meanwhile on the streets younger Vantas angrily tossed the empty milkshake cup from his hands out into a bush on the sidewalk and the elder did as he had been ordered to, sighing as he contemplated, alone he started a sermon directed at himself “I must be the biggest fool on all of planet Earth…”

Strider shut off the computer and camera, and walked out into the hallway. He thrust his hand into the mirror in the hallway, breaking it and cutting his hand up. And in the bathroom, the same thing happened. _Crash_. Broken glass shards surround Dave as he doesn’t know what he’s doing, just that he’s bleeding as light from the outside pours into the hall, the door was open and a small silhouette stood in the frame.

Karkat looked at Dave, who had now just crumpled onto the floor after staring at his friend for a few seconds. “Shit…” he muttered “fucking shit, god damn it, oh fuck.” He looked around frantically for a phone and calls the closest hospital, ordering them to send help over immediately.

Strider’s vision was clouded around the edges, he tried climbing up and using a wall for some balance, he knew he had seen a figure nearby, not registering fully the person there until he heard another snippet from the string of mumbled profanities as arms wrapped around him and dragged him closer to the light.

“Fuck… so much blood. Fuck that fucking asshole, what the hell.”

“Kar… kat?”

“Yeah, it’s me, assmunch. What the hell is this? I despise Kankri as much as the next guy but seriously. What the fucking shit?”

“I’m sorry… last time… I was called… by my given name… I nearly jumped off a building after”

“Okay. So what that people are shitty and slip up sometimes? What else is new?” Karkat paused after getting him down the flight of stairs safely and into the complex’s parking lot. He looks at the other and comments “My God you’re a wreck.”

“It… hurts when… they do. I’m not… sure what… I even did.”

“When was the last time… bro?”

“Bro came over…”

“And speaking of that: why the flying spaghetti hell didn’t you tell me? Do Terezi and John even know?”

“John doesn’t know and neither does Terezi… only Kankri.”

“Well why the fuck does that asshole know?”

“He saw me changing.”

“Besides, even is something is not explicitly told to her, like you’re situation, I think Terezi would be able to piece it together…” Karkat sighs, placing his hands on to his face. “But of course that isn’t the point and is only tangentially related, so I have no idea why I brought that up.”

“I’m sorry…” Dave muttered, all his weight leaned onto Karkat’s back.

The wailing sirens of the medical emergency vehicles drowned out their conversation, the red and blue lights came into view at the edge of the lot they had been walking… no, limping over towards. A duo of medics hopped out of the car and the driver stopped in front of the men. They were lead into the back of the ambulance and duties of carrying Dave were transferred to the assisstants who strapped him onto the gurney.

One of them, a tall man, leaned down and looked Karkat in the ring-circled eyes, telling him that he could come in the back as well; they had an extra seat in the ambulance for him.

Dave blacked out on his way in, he appeared to mutter “I’m sorry…” and Karkat couldn’t answer properly. He sat over Dave and the medics closed the doors behind them as the driver hit the gas pedal to again start up on the way to reach the hospital. Karkat patted his friend on the shoulder, “It… it’s okay. It’ll be alright.”

On his phone a message buzzed, it was from Kankri.

**[What is happening? Is everything alright?]**

**[NO, IT IS NOT]**

**[Well, what happened?]**

**[I GOT BLOOD ALL OVER MYSELF]**

**[How? Is he alright?]**

**[WE’RE IN AN AMBULANCE RIGHT NOW]**

**[What have I done… I- I’ll just go home now. Apologize to him for me.]**

**[YOU’VE BEEN AN ASSHOLE IS WHAT YOU’VE DONE.]**

**[I didn’t mean to say what I had said.]**

**[SOME FUCKING RIGHTS CRUSADER YOU ARE]**

**[Karkat, watch the language.]**

**[I honestly had no intention of hurting him.]**

**[He looked ill when I saw you to at lunch earlier today.]**

**[YEAH, I NOTICED THAT TOO]**

**[Do you know why?]**

**[I DON’T. BUT I DO KNOW THIS IS ONE PROBLEM I *NEVER* FUCKING NEEDED.]**

**[I’m very sorry Karkat.]**

**[OH SHIT, OH SHIT.]**

**[I FORGOT TO RESPOND TO GAMZEE, I HAVEN’T SPOKEN WITH HIM IN A WHILE NOW.]**

**[Do you need to speak with him?]**

**[PROBABLY, YEAH.]**

Karkat switched his mobile device to messaging with Gamzee.

**[HEY MAKARA, HOW ARE YOU?]**

**[Im MoThErFuCkIn GrEaT bRo]**

**[I’M SORRY THAT I HAVEN’T GOTTEN BACK TO YOU ALL DAY.]**

**[itS oK bRo]**

**[UH, THIS MIGHT BE WEIRD BUT]**

**[I’VE NOTICED THAT YOU’VE REALLY TAKEN TO THAT KID]**

**[TAVROS. IT WAS TAVROS]**

**[Oh yEaH BrO. tAvBrO AnD I ArE MoThErFuCkIn dAtIn nOw]**

**[WOW, I’M REALLY HAPPY FOR YOU ASSHOLES]**

**[WeLl CoMe oN HoMe wHeN YoU'Re rEaDy bRo. i mIsS SnUgGlEbRoS]**

**[YOU SURE THAT HE’D, YOU KNOW, BE OKAY WITH THAT? DOES HE EVEN KNOW?]**

**[Im sUrE He'lL Be cOoL WiTh iT]**

**[TaV WiLl bE CoOl wItH SnUgGlEbRoS]**

**[ALRIGHT, IF YOU SAY SO GAMZ]**

**[ <3?]**

**[Be hOmE SoOn bUdDy. tAvRoS SaYs hI.]**

**[Me aNd mY BoYfRiEnD ArE WaItInG FoR Ya aT HoMe]**

**[YEP, SEE YOU THERE SOON.]**

Karkat closes the phone and tosses it into his pocket, deciding he’d had enough of that thing for today. He focuses on Dave who was currently lying down on the bed, hardly moving except for his ragged breathe. He scoots his chair closer into the bed, leaning over the blond.

“Hey asshole, I don’t think that you can hear m, being unconscious and all but, get better soon. I don’t want to have to see you in some dreary grey room hooked up to a bunch of tubes. Also, my roommate’s boyfriend says hi, if you wanted to know that.”

During Karkat’s ramble he noticed Dave shifting, the monitor or his heart rate slowing back down towards regular speed. A small groan emitted from his throat.

“When I get back there tonight I’m going to tell them that one of my friends got put in the hospital because being an asshole is now considered a medical condition.” Karkat commented. Was it rude? Yes. But if he was awake he’d get a response for sure.

And sure enough, he got one. Dave didn’t open his eyes, he muttered out “S-so-sorry.”

Karkat leaned over and stroked his fingers over Dave’s cheek, surprised when he wasn’t stopped from doing so by the medics on board.

After a moment of feeling weak, Dave’s eyelids managed to flick open to get a glance at the one above. “I’m so-sorry Ka-kar-kat”

“If it makes you feel any better, I screamed at Kankri a little.”

“R-really?”

“Yeah, I told him go sit in a corner and think about his life.”

“I… I… only… o-overreacted”

Karkat gently grabbed one of his hands and rubbed it. “Sssh, no defending the shitass”

“But… I did overreact”

“Sure you did, but would you have reacted at all if there was nothing to react to?”

“What do you mean?”

“There wouldn’t have been any pain had there not been some jerk there to hit that nerve.”

“I know…”

“So in a roundabout way this places blame on me for allowing him to come over, telling him that it was fine.”

“It’s fine.”

“Fine? What about this that you see is fucking fine?”

“Sorry”

“No captain shit-for-brains, I’m the one who’s sorry.”

“It’s fine… I’m fine Karkat.”

“Yes… you’re right. You’re okay, this is okay. Hell, even I’m okay!”

“Are you really…?”

“Yeah.”  Karkat says, his tone suggesting he was anything other than okay.

“No… you’re not… why?”

“And why am I allegedly *not* okay?”

“You’re not okay… you’re going to a hospital with one of your best friends because of your older brother.”

“Yeah, and?”

“What else?” Dave prodded him

“You asking me for other reasons for me to not be okay?”

“Yep…”

“Certain dunce roommate who can’t spot obvious crushes?”

“I’m… s-si-sorry”

“Don’t be sorry for a dumbass that isn’t you dumbass, he’s my problem anyways.”

Dave sighs, chest still rising and falling shakily, he closes his eyes, creeping closer back towards unconsciousness “But still…” he lightly mumbles, and again now reaching for Karkat’s as the ambulance pulled into the hospital parking lot. Karkat gives his hand a squeeze and the stop outside of the emergency wing, and Dave was whisked away by on medic to the nearest available emergency room for care. The other one focused on Karkat, taking the shaken witness of that whole ordeal into the waiting room, where we was sentenced to staring at the walls or the clock for the next hour, waiting for an update on Strider’s condition.


	8. Eg-fucking-xactly as I planned

One of the doctors, Karkat presumed from the outfit, came out and grabbed his attention to announce. “Hey, uh, are you…” he looked at a clipboard in hand, “‘Karkat Vantas’? The patient you came in with is awake now.”

Karkat hopped out of his chair, “Really?” he asks.

“Yes.” The doctor nods.

“And so I’m allowed in?”

“He’s asked for you specifically, and we kind of assumed you were his boyfriend. Either way you’re allowed in.”

“And he asked for Karkat Vantas?” the crab reiterated, making sure that is what he had been told.

“Karkat Vantas is what he said, yes.”

Karkat follows behind the doctor, deadpanning, “That’s my name, don’t wear it out.”

Karkat was let into the room and the doctor rushed off to other people’s treatments, leaving Karkat with the additional information that Dave was now in “pretty much” stable condition when it came to physical health.

Inside the room lay Dave, and Karkat got a better look at him. Back at the Strider apartment there had not been any lights on, outside it was getting dark and in the ambulance Karkat honestly couldn’t look at him for longer than a few seconds, they were barreling down the streets and most of the time Karkat had been looking more at the stuff in the ambulance, anywhere but his best friend really. He could now see the bruises on Dave’s face and along his arms in much better light. Along with the bruises came an armada of cuts that had to be wrapped in gauze, which was starting to be due for a change after the hour they had been on. In short, he looked like he’d been hit by a train.

“Hey Karks…”

“Wow, you sure you weren’t in a fucking car wreck?”

“I have my ways of hurting myself on almost anything, even walls.”

“Am I going to have to dumbfuck-proof your katana collection?”

“Karkat, it wasn’t the katanas, it was the wall. I got pretty far inside, almost to the inner brick.”

 “I’ll have to dumbfuck-proof the walls then. Gee, won’t that be fun?”

“Also: don’t touch my swords please.”

“Alright, fine, there shall be no touching of the swords.”

Dave breathes a sigh of relief “Oh, thank you.” He tries to lift himself up, propping his back up against the head of the bed, the pillow was extra support. “And… have you told Gamzee no more?”

“I told him I’d be home later tonight, that’s likely when I’m going to do it.”

“Oh ok. That sounds good… I’ll see if I can get back home tonight also, but they probably won’t let me…”

“You don’t even have half a snowball’s chance in hell Strider.”

“Probably not until I have somebody who can stay with me a bit… no school, I still need to go to college.”

“Well that sucks…”

“And work… oh shit, work! I-”

Karkat takes a seat at the chair next to the hospital room window, and starts formulating somewhat of a speech (ok, ‘announcement’ would be a better word) technically what he was doing could be considered rude, as he had interrupted Dave in mid-freak-out.

"I was actually thinking about making a return, like one of those professional fucking WWE wrestles. Shoot goddamn fireworks into the sky. Blare rock music, have girls and guys on all sides screaming their lungs out and stuffing themselves with hot dogs, that sort of shit."

“You’re gonna go back to school…?”

“Maybe sometime I will, yeah. The stress of doing stuff is better than being stressed while doing absolutely fucking nothing after all.”

“Hehe, that… that’s awesome!” Dave says but then sighs and mumbles “Though I’m still stuck here until I get someone to stay with me or I’m deemed less of a threat to myself.”

“Like… stay at your house?”

“Yeah, someone’d need to stay with me at the apartment for a bit.”

Karkat turns from the window and starts walking out towards the hallway, he pulled his hood over his head and ominously suggested “After tonight, I’m going to be available for that position”, Dave watched him leave with a small wave behind, not looking back.

The Strider continued watching out his window, seeing Karkat emerge from the door of the hospital to the outside parking lot. He could see the other as he scouted out the place, but Karkat was getting out of Dave’s sight, so he drags himself out of the bed and stands out the window, grinning like an idiot. He was really proud of that angry little twerp.

The taxi containing Vantas drove off quickly, Dave still fawning looking out of the windowsill. Upon discovering that the patient was up and about, one of the doctors started flipping out about how dangerous it was to be moving in his condition.

The scene cuts to the shared Vantas-Makara apartment home. Karkat takes a deep breath before sticking the keys into the lock and turning the doorknob, giving himself reassurance that he could do what was needed, no matter how painful.

He scouted the inside, it appeared that Tavros kid had already left back to his place, and Gamzee was painting his face with that clown makeup as usual, but why this late? Maybe he was just fixing up a couple of spots which got smeared when he was making out with his… Karkat shivers, this motion allows him to finally be noticed.

Gamzee turned to him, eyes lighting up “Hey motherfuckin best bro.”

“Yeah, hey there…”

“Glad you’re finally home Karbro. Tav would have been here too, but he had to go.”

Here Karkat’s heart was racing, that stupid voice was working its charms. But he had to find a way to not get pulled in like a magnet, not that Gamzee knew how those worked or anything, and he finally thought of one: find a way to associate this clown with today’s prior events and go off on him; harsh? Yes. Was it necessary? Possibly.

Karkat sits down on the couch “Oh yeah? That’s too bad.”

“Where were ya bro? Were ya with a girl?”

 _Girl._ Here it was folks, the connection that Karkat would be set off by.

“No I wasn’t, but putting that aside, I have just *one* question for you.”

“Hmm? What question is that Karbro?”

“Just tell me, have you noticed any particular reason… any *damn* reason at all why I would constantly let you touch me, smack those musical clown lips onto me, or snuggle in a bed? Any particular thing you can think of?” Karkat insists on his questions, trying to push Gamzee to finally see it.

“You’re my best bro, and that’s normal bro stuff.” Gamzee shrugs, arm draped back over the couch, he looks Karkat in the eyes.

Karkat squints back at him, jaw slowly dropping. Okay, he knew Gamzee was a dense motherfucker, so he shouldn’t be shocked, and yet Karkat is. Gamzee really was absolutely clueless about the crush…

“Did I do something wrong best friend?”

“We *literally* snuggled up in a single bed. You may be my best friend, but I am sorry you are so incredibly oblivious all the time. Like, Terezi is *blind* and she would be able to see this. But that Faygo soaked sponge inside you that you call a brain…”

Gamzee growled, sounding annoyed. “It sounds like you don’t wanna be friends.”

“No, asshole, I love being friends with you I…”

“Then leave if you hate me so much.”

“I don’t… Gamzee, I… I love you.”

“I’m with Tavbro, Kar. You can’t get him and I all motherfuckin separated.”

“And that would be a good thing. Seeing that you hadn’t been able to fucking notice my feelings the past few months, long before _he_ ever showed up.”

“Motherfucking get your shit and leave.” Gamzee whispered.

“Egg-fucking-xactly as I planned, I already moved half of it.”

“Then take the other half and fuck off why dontcha?”

“It…” Karkat collects his remaining things from their shared quarters in a suitcase, pulls on a hat and heads back to the front door, the tables have been turned. The last time someone was kicked out of there it was Gamzee, for getting a tattoo, god, he felt so stupid. “It’s my fault for not making it dead obvious when I had the chance, I blew it… you big chowderheaded… gah”

“Well I’ve never felt anything like that towards you before so just leave already.”

Karkat drags his stuff out the door and onto the street, he looks up one last time at the old apartment, solely Gamzee’s now. He turns away and rolls the suitcase along this New York sidewalk, streetlights illuminating his path. He mutters to himself “Love you too, fucking dumbass.”

Karkat heads on his way back to Dave's apartment... no.

Karkat heads back _home_ for the night.


	9. I Swear, They Totally Aren't Dating (Yet)

_Kankri interlocked his fingers, elbows placed at the table. “How are you?”_

_…_

_Karkat nudges the blond with one foot and whispers “It’s worth the risk; he’ll keep talking anyway if you don’t respond.”_

_…_

_Dawn, a wonderful girl._

_…_

The scene earlier today at the diner kept repeating itself as Dave swirled into his own panic, practically ordering the doctors to call Karkat and tell him to come to the hospital as soon as possible.

…

Karkat has now trekked his way across the city once more to get home; he opened the door as it was still unlocked. He closed the door behind him and sighed, he flicked the lights on in order to better survey the apartment. Needless to say that Strider left it in quite the mess.

In the hall there was a small trail of blood and glass shards, Karkat looked in the closet for some cleaning instruments and began to sweep the pieces into the pan, dumping them out into the trash can. Some more damage was done in the bathroom, which he was in the middle of cleaning when he heard the phone ring in the front room. He debates briefly weather he should pick it up before deciding on “yes, because it is probably important”

In the front he picks up the phone and connects to the other end while he sits on the couch. “Sup, what could you possibly want?” he informally greeted, before realizing that it was the hospital calling him.

“Sir, I’m sorry but your boyfriend seems to be having a rather severe anxiety attack, and we’ve tried sedatives. None have worked. Would you be able to come here if you aren’t busy?”

“I… I actually just got done being busy with anything, I’m on my way.”

“Thank you, sir.” Karkat put the phone down and pulled his hood up and walked back towards the hospital, muttering to himself about how he should’ve expected needing to get back to that place anyway.

…

Karkat Vantas rubbed the soles of his shoes with his feet, waiting once more today for an employee to get back to the front desk. Karkat thought this must have been a shift change considering how late it was getting. One such employee approached. Karkat cleared his throat “Dave Strider’s room?”

The employee chewed a stick of gum, looking down. “If you would like to go over to solitary, then I’m going to need to see your ID.”

He gulped, blinking. Solitary… Karkat pulled his wallet out and removed the ID from its place to give to them.

“Oh, yes, they just called you! It’ll be room number six on the lower floor.”

“Right…” Karkat nods, he tries to straighten his hunched back and walks over to the closest stairwell. He creeps down the stairs, one hand on the wall. His eyes scanned the numbered plaques on the walls along the hallway. Karkat spots ‘6’ and peaks inside.

“Dave, are you okay in here?”

A doctor was standing by, scratch marks running along his arms, near Dave’s bed. Must have gotten attacked by Strider during that breakdown he'd been called because of

“Dave? Are you able to respond or are you too big of a weenie to have vocal capabilities at the current point in time?”

 

Even though Dave probably had been calling out for his friend, he didn’t want to be seen by him in this state, this state wasn’t cool. It was the opposite of cool.

He mumbled “I’m seeing things… you’re not here”

“I’m pretty sure that I’m not just a disembodied voice or an illusion, I mean, I can touch myself.”

One of the doctors snickered, only to be whacked by some papers held by the bleeding one. Dave looked up at him.

“Why?”

Karkat moves over to the bedside, pulling up a chair and pretending there had been no snickering “Why what?”

Dave leaned back against the head of the hospital bed, keeping his knees locked close to his chest. “You shouldn’t even be here…”

“Well too damn bad you’re saddled with me now cowboy.”

“You should be back at home…”

“And now I’m going to be your goddamn ass-fucking beauty of a rescue stallion.” Karkat continued to drive the western metaphor, probably further than it needed to go honestly.

“Karkat, you should be home… not here.” Dave tugged at his own hair, calming down slowly without any of his wristbands.

Karkat finally sits down on the chair, sitting on the left side of the bed and directly facing the blond.

“Welp, I’m here, so deal with it. Plus, my place is a shithole.”

Dave mumbled, averting his eyes from Karkat and looking down at his lap “Then go over to my place… you have a key now…”

“I left my stuff over there, before I got a call from the LOVELY staff here.” He shot a glare behind him at the doctor who had snickered at the point in the sentence emphasized.

“I’m sorry…” Dave mumbled.

Karkat sighs “But like, I guess it was a good thing, I was already starting to consider whether I should come back for you.” Karkat pauses before tacking on “That place needs a good round of carpet cleaning.”

“I know… fuck. I can’t let Bro know about this. I don’t know if the doctor called him or not…”

Karkat turned around to the doctors for a confirmation. The one who was tending to his own arm wound now shook his head no. Karkat turns back around to Dave “They haven’t yet.”

“They can’t tell him…”

“It’s not like they have to, he’s not your guardian anymore, you’re a grown ass man.”

“If I’m put on suicide watch he will…”

“Well I wouldn’t know this because I’ve never attempted offing myself before, surprising, isn’t it?”

“I wasn’t trying to off myself… I went and sat on the fucking windowsill and they thought I was going to.”

“Maybe you didn’t that time, asswipe. But they had perfectly reasonable assumptions based on the reason you even came in here the first damn place.”

“Okay, it’s not like I’ve not tried before, but I won’t try again.”

“Y-you’re damn right you fucking won’t.” Karkat crossed his arms, not exactly tring to sound angry, he was just… worried.

“Sorry…”

“Please… just, just quit saying that, it’s going to get as annoying as the rest of the crap I’ve had to deal with recently.”

“Sorr-“ Dave stopped himself mid apology, sighing.

Karkat pushed his chair back, standing up, taking the last couple of steps over to Dave, leaning over the rail to give him a hug.

Dave hugs back, lightly crying into his shoulders. Then Karkat continues holding on, climbing over and perching himself partially on the bed.

Dave grunts “Dammit”

“Oh, I-I’m sorry?”

“No… fuck, you just shouldn’t see me like this…”

“Well it’s not my fault the hospital was so convinced I was your boyfriend.”

“Not mine either…”

“Besides, it’s too late, I’ve seen you like this, I won’t forget seeing you like this.”

“You shouldn’t.”

“I disagree; I very much think that I have a right to.”

“No… I won’t let you see me like this again.”

“But I’m here for you, so you won’t have to be.”

“I probably will… I'm a wreck.”

“No. No… shhh ssshhh.” Karkat leans over to peck Dave’s forehead.

Dave looked up, red eyes clogged with tears, he was stopping himself from crying more. Karkat takes a finger and wipes away the tears. (Which, by the way, totally isn't reinforcing the hospital's  idea that these two are dating. And the doctors totally aren't watching the security camera footage of this screaming "KISS ALREADY: or anything like that.)

Strider sniffled. "They said that I could go back home by tonight if someone came and got me."

"Did they?"

"Yeah, I'd became less of a danger to myself... until the whole anxiety attack thing."

"I'll take you back home then... can you walk?"

"I don't really want to, but I think I can."

Karkat shrugged, "Then I can wait and stay here with you."

"Why? If I walk it means that we can go home."

"Okay Dave... we can go now?"

The blonde hops on out of the bed, and staggers a few steps before needing to lean up against a wall for balance. Seeing that he needed help walking, Karkat swoops in under his arm, offering a shoulder for support. A soft 'thanks' is muttered and they head back up to the front desk of the hospital.

Karkat speaks up as they start leaving the building, "It just might take us a million and a half years to get back if we walked, but enter consideration for your current issues we might have to hail a cab. You going to pay for this one Mr. Money Man?"

"Yeah, I plan on it."

"Good, because I have literally jack shit."

"Karkat," Dave sighed "You know, I need somebody to model for a photoshoot in about three days. You willing to do it? I'll pay you and shit."

"Sure, maybe I can doll up my dark circles all photogenic just for you."

"You, Karkat, are going to actually sleep."

"Yeah, for sure tonight, but that won't fix weeks of bags."

"Three days of sleep and a little bit of make-up will. I expect you to take care of yourself as long as you're living with me."

"Like I can sleep three straight days. I'd probably need to be sedated to lie around in a bed for that long. Also, you do realize how ironic your second sentence was?"

"1) Shut up. And 2) Not all the time those three days you dork. I'm just going to force you to go to bed at night."

"Fine. As soon as we get there I'll just get my ass all toasty and wrapped in a blanket like it's a marshmallow licked by flames."

"That sounds like some sort of weird metaphor for sex."

"It sounds like a weird metaphor for being in a goddamn bed."

"Sounds like it could be either to me." Dave was still limping and leaning on Karkat, but he was trying to carry more of his own weight.

It takes them a block or so up the hill to catch the attention of a taxi driving by. The man inside rolled the window down and spoke with a thick-as-molasses New Jersey accent "Whatchu kids doin out here, ya need a taxi?"

Dave nodded and answered the question, Texan accent fading in, "Yeah, we need a taxi, only out here fer good reasons."

"Where to?"

Dave leans in and gives the driver the money and the address of the complex and looked over his shoulder at Karkat, who sighed and opened the back door, pulling Dave inside the cab before the driver hit the gas.


	10. "I.. you big... uh"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Marriage Equality day! Er well, day after. Everyone has heard the news that in all 50 states of the union that Marriage Equality is the law and well, now is as apt a time as any to put this chapter out, have some celebratory cuddles as a reward for how far we've come. Also, this essentially marks the two-thirds mark in this story. Only five more chapters to go.

The Taxi ride up to the complex was uneventful and silent. Karkat realized how delirious and tired he actually has become once he has the brilliant idea of poking Dave in the cheek and whispering "boop" into his ear.

"I don't even know what I just did, that was incredible stupid and embarrassing. Hahaha, I seriously need to go to sleep."

"If you need cuddles, I'm open for that."

"Sure... I'm too used to having a motherfucker to hold to stop now." He again echoed shades all too reminiscent of his ex-roommate and crush.

Dave chooses to not comment and nods "sounds fine to me."

The taxi pulls up to its destination, they pay and get kicked out. The last words spoken to them by the driver were "Now go on ya two lurvboids!"

...

Karkat stops at the base of the stairs, his arm locked in Dave's to help him move around. He looks up the stairs and wonders how the other's leg would hold up, seeing as that they had to climb up several stories in order to get to their apartment.

"Do you need help climbing up?"

Dave nods and breathes in sharply "Yeah. Walking in general is still painful honestly."

Karkat climbs up the stairs, Dave's arm wrapped around his shoulders. They made their way up the stairs relatively unscathed, up until the point when Dave tripped on the top stair before they got to their floor.

"D-damnit, sorry, carved up my legs pretty good."

"Uh, yeah, isn't that why that wasn't a good idea you disturbed yellow fluffbag?"

"Again... blind rage... I should start locking my door before I do so."

"Ssh, only think cuddly thoughts, you drowsy fuckwit." Karkat growled at him.

"I'm being held up by a cuddly thought."

Karkat fumbles for the key and sticks it in the keyhole, opening the door and practically dragging Dave through the frame.

Dave mutters "I think I've got it from here", he climbs off Karkat and pulls himself away. "I might need help re-wrapping my legs if you're willing?"

"Sure, great idea! I don't know a lick of medical practice!"

"You're literally just wrapping gauze around my legs."

Karkat puts his hands up defensively "And I was just warning you so you don't sue me if I fuck this up somehow, making sure you don't sick Pyrope on me if I do."

"You'll be fine, just watch me do it briefly."

Dave hobbled off to find the med kit and drag himself into his room, and onto the bed, flinging his pants away to the side. He pulled away at the gauze as Karkat entered in behind. Bloody words formed across his legs. _I am not a girl_.

"Welp, this is fascinatingly disturbing."

"How so?" his eyes catch the words along his calf.

"It's not everyday that one sees the half-coherent ramblings of somebody, written in their own blood. This is like the shit out of a horror movie."

"It's not every day that you get to find out you're friends with a mentally unstable transgender male."

"Okay, so run me through this whole gauze thing, I'm asking because my medical expertise basically begins and ends with slapping a bandaid over a cut."

"Wow Karkat... wow. I'm sitting here, stopping myself from dying, and here you fucking are, not even remotely helpful man."

Dave demonstrates the simple task of wrapping gauze around his left leg, Karkat takes up the second roll and starts around the ankle on the left leg, moving slowly up.

Dave coughs, "Uh, thanks for the help"

Vantas grunts, tying up the end after covering all of the leg "No problem".

The blond rolled up the sleeve of his arm and started wrapping that arm too. "I fucked up pretty bad... cuddles and romcoms?" he nudges a thumb up at the TV facing across the room from the bed he was sitting on.

"I'm actually too damn tired at this point to coherently watch anything."

All wrapped up in gauze properly now, Strider moves over for the yawning friend, who promptly crawled in next to him.

Dave wrapped an arm around him, and Karkat responded with a leg around his hip, before pulling back a bit "Shit, I'm still wearing jeans, that won't be comfortable."

"Go change then."

He lets him go and Karkat pulls off his hoodie and jeans, leaving him in a t-shirt and boxer shorts, stretching out his arms and legs.

Dave sits up and removes his shirt too, still self-conscious about his chest, also littered with small scars from prior incidents.

He whined "Come back, you're warm."

"So I've been told." Kk mutters as he crawls back in, allowing Dave to wrap his body and nuzzle into his neck. Karkat's breathe slowed down til it was evident he was asleep, arms around Dave's midsection, hugging close.

...

The next morning, with the sun slowly creeping up the sky to the point it barely shown in through the window and spread across the floor of the room, Dave Strider woke up, tears streaming down his face. The frail blond holding his tiny friend closer in order to calm down. Karkat was still asleep, cuddled almost on top of him, gently breathing and mumbling something similar to words.

Dave nuzzles at his neck, hoping to coax something out.

"I... you big... uh"

Dave smirks, nuzzling again to see if it prompted any more.

"Bih... dum... hip, syupid..."

"I can't understand what you're tryin to say." He whispers, lips nearly brushing against the ear of the short male.

A hand moves up and squeezes Dave's chest, Karkat, still clearly asleep breathes out "hold."

In response he squeezes his arms tighter around his waist. "Got any other instructions?"

Karkat's hand raised up, and dropped with a small _thwap_ on Dave's neck. "Du-dubm."

"I know I am darlin'..."

Karkat adjusts himself, face planting firmly onto the pillow and his chin rested on Dave's shoulder. His breathes gently running across the musician's skin in the nape of his neck.

"Anything else you wanna tell me Kitten?" he smiles, face turning a bit to try and see Karkat.

Another motion and his nose bops Dave's cheek. Dave placed a small kiss on that nose. The little crab was holding on tightly as kisses are placed across his face.

"Yeh..."

"You wanted kisses?..."

It might just be his exhaled air, but another noise like a small "yeh" comes out.

Dave couldn't tell, so he asks again.

Karkat rubs his cheek against Dave's, slowly waking up, letting out a yawn, eyes blinking. He rolls off to Dave's side  and keeps his arm around his shoulder as the blond feigns sleep.

He gets nuzzled. "Hey..." he tries to get Dave to respond.

Dave just wraps his arms more around Karkat's waist, to the point of pulling Vantas on top of him, still trying to pretend he was asleep.

Karkat thinks he has caught onto some sort of ruse, and shakes Dave's shoulder, only to have a hand slap at his own.

Vantas had finally, yet groggily, woken up at this point, eyes focusing downwards while his legs were straddled across Strider's hips. 

"Hey, big dumb prick. Hey, Strider, I know you're awake."


	11. Character Bios

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Info within mostly based on Homestuck and FourChords Descriptions. Written in-universe by Karkat and Dave. Will update with more information as people show up. Includes two people debuting next chapter!

** Karkat **

Originally From: Boston, Massachusetts

Occupation: (Temporarily) Unemployed College Dropout, Job Hunter,  ~~Shitty~~ Computer Programmer

Birthday: June 12th

Likes: Computers, Xbox, his headphones, being left alone, Romcoms

 

**Dave**

Originally From: Houston, Texas

Occupation: Part-time artist of various types, Alleged "Twink in the Twinkie factory", College Student

Birthday: December 3rd

Likes: Being Cool, Being Hip, making music, Privacy (apparently), being hot (shut up Strider) (hmm... lemme think, no)

  **Gamzee**

Originally From: New York City

Occupation: Musician

Birthday: ??? (Fuck, I couldn't remember, I honestly feel ashamed right now)

Likes: Faygo, Clown Makeup, His Guitar, Wheelchair kid... Darvos or something like that.

**Rose**

Originally From: Rainbow Falls, New York

Occupation: Overbearing Sister, Librarian and part time Writer. [Mostly the first though karks]

Birthday: December 4th

Likes: Knitting, Witchcraft, Being in Lesbians with Kanaya, Bothering Dave Strider

**Kankri**

Originally From: Boston, Massachusetts

Occupation: Blogger, "Activist", Annoying Blabbermouth

Birthday: June 12th (Several years prior to me though)

Likes: "Social Justice" (Hint: he sucks at it)

**Bro**

Originally From: Houston, Texas

Occupation: Alleged Entrepreneur, Smutty Muppet Cowboy Extraordinaire

Birthday: December 3rd (Age: 40-something, probably)

Likes: Being Texan, Japanese swords, Puppets, Tormenting Dave

**Terezi**

Originally From: Boston, Massachusetts

Occupation: Lawyer-in-training, Ironic Visual/Musical Artist

Birthday: October 10th

Likes: her dog (named Lemonsnout), justice, roleplaying, annoying people (specifically Karkat), cotton candy

  **Sollux**

Originally From: California

Occupation: Programer, Hacker

Birthday: May 22nd (Age: 26)

Likes: Computers, games, hacking,


	12. Chap 11: I'm calling you Kitten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They wake up, banter happens, Dave heads out to work in spite of his injuries, a new (to this story) friend makes a debut, and things head south in an almost literal sense when a certain family member shows up at the door in the middle of Dave's work shift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here is Chapter 11. I have basically the whole entire thing plotted out to the end of this story. And I have plans for others things that you are to see soon.

"Hnn... K..tty..."

"Kitty?"

"Kitty."

"Wow, pet names after one night?"

Dave pulled Karkat down closer, the grouch's face being brought up to the Cool kid's ear. "And I don't think we even screwed"

"Nope." he confirmed, nuzzling the others neck.

"So, what's the next progression in our steps from random assholes to friends to roommates? Do inform me, oh Strider."

"Hnn... k... sse."

"Look, I know you're awake... or, uh, I think you are?" he leaned onto Dave's chest and listened to his breathing.

Pretending to be asleep earlier actually led to Dave becoming asleep for real once more, the blond was absolutely content and wrapped around the black haired male. Karkat looked down, observing him and giving a small smile. "Well, let's just see how long he'll take to notice this."

Dave was left on the bed purring, curling in on himself while Karkat leaves to the kitchen to grab a glass of milk and returned to sit at the bedside and watch within a minute. He found Dave still asleep, but starting to shiver, and with the free hand he pulled the covers back up to the proper level. Dave rolled over and got wrapped further in the blankets, seemingly realizing in his sleep that he was now alone.

"Hmm..." Red eyes fluttered open, before he was fully awake KK swooped in and left a peck on his lips. After he pulled off Strider became consciously aware of the room's surroundings. Karkat waited to see if and when D-Stri would notice that action, he was hoping that it would be way too hazy to notice, otherwise he was in for some embarrassing conversations within the next 24 hours.

The blanket fell away and Dave leaned back against the head of the bed, his pale, scar covered chest exposed as he rubbed gunk out of his eyes.

"Morning asshole" Karkat said, sitting on the end with his back turned to Strider, pretending that he was sipping his milk nonchalantly the entire time.

"Morning to you too sunshine."

"That was quite some cuddling, I'd enter into that as an Olympic sporting event if I were you."

"Oh hush..." Dave kicked the sheets away and sat on the side of the bed.

"You know what they say, go for the gold Strider."

"Love you too Vantas. Even if you're a dork, and an asshole, you're still my best friend."

"And it looks like I should be entering the "Best Friend Olympics""

"The sexual tension in this room is so think I could slice through it with the Katana YOU'RE planning on confiscating."

But nevermind that, Karkat continued by listing his 4 'jerkass best friends': "Gamzee: because we know why, Sollux: 'Be2t 2arca2m Buddie2'. Pyrope: she's a weirdo, and you. So I have at least a silver."

"What place am I in, Vantas?"

"I have to rank all of you morons?"

"I'm kidding you dork."

"I knew that you latte-sipping taintmunch, I was trying to get a one up in the asshole-measuring competition I assumed we were having with this banter."

"In that case you're second only to Egdick."

"Well, do I at least snuggle better than the guy? I mean, I'm pretty certain his teeth are so big they'd just get in the way of everything."

Dave burst out laughing, "You snuggle better than a puppy on a cold winter day by the fireplace."

"That image is actually pretty adorable." Karkat swished the milk at the bottom of the glass around.

Dave smirked, "So, me holding a puppy is adorable?"

"Yes, puppy dogs are cute. Sure, they shit all over the place but that's at least more tolerable than most of humanity. So you holding one would be cute."

"I prefer kittens." he stood up, continuing that smirk.

"I agree, kittens are even more tolerable than puppies. They have a litter box to go to the bathroom in, that's more civilized than going all over willy-motherfucking-nilly. Plus, they are kind of like dogs if they had more of a brain."

"And they're fluffier."

"True, fluffiness is a bonus point."

"Agreed Kitten. Agreed."

"Wait... are we agreeing on kittens or you calling me a kitten?"

"I'm calling you Kitten."

"This is a new development for me, I never realized that my true species was cat. My name is now officially Catcat, me-ow."

Dave leaned over and kissed Karkat's forehead and went to dig about his drawers to get his clothes for today, putting on deodorant and the work set.

Karkat spoke up, "I'm going to get some breakfast now, you coming?"

"Sure thing, kitten."

"I'm still determining weather I appreciate this 'Kitten' business."

"Well, ya should appreciate it." he walked out of the room happily.

Karkat walks out of the room behind him and closes the door shut. Dave moved into the kitchen and began pulling out ingredients to cook while Karkat took his place seated at the table. He rests his arms on and leans his head over, the way he usually sat when there was nothing placed in front of him yet at a table.

Dave hummed on his way around, pouring the batter on the pan and flipping it. Minutes later they were down and he came out, offering the to Karkat and sitting across from him. "I'm out of food."

Karkat gets up, pulling the plate closer to himself. "Then what exactly are these two round, brown objects placed on top of that shiny round object?"

"I only had enough stuff to make two pancakes."

"Then... you should take them" Vantas pouted and shoved the plate closer to Dave, "you need them more."

"They're not very big, Karkat. Just eat them, I'll get something on my way to work." he shoved the plate back to Vantas.

"I better be given some sort of proof... like a receipt."

"Fine, I'll bring you a receipt." he sighed.

A lot of his injuries continued to pain him, yet he gets up anyways, "I gotta go kitten, I'll see you in eight hours."

"Wait... are you sure you can even go?"

"What do you mean? Karkat, I'll be allowed at work."

"I mean are you okay to go? Like, you're still horribly banged up from your Asshole Rumpus Pity Party last night."

"I'll be fine, they don't even have to know."

"Don't have to know?! They'll know just by looking at you!"

"They will... I'll... I'll put on concealer on the way."

"Are you still walking with a hint of a limp?"

Dave nodded, "Though... hardly." he tested out his walk.

"That shit does tend to flare up though, from what little knowledge of medicine I actually possess. Mainly learned from my own history of breaking vocal chords or blowing a gasket after dealing with too many idiots all day."

"I'll be fine. They'll let me stay at work as long as I show no signs of passing out or collapsing."

"I... just call the damn home phone if you need to, alright?"

"I will. Don't worry, ok?" he smiled

"Okay..." Karkat's face cracks into a tiny grin.

"I'll be fine." Dave turns around, lacing up his shoes and opening the apartment door, leaving Karkat inside. "See you later."

Karkat finished those pancakes and decided to set up the Xbox in his new bedroom, and pulling up the home menu, he noticed messages from "gallowsCalibrator"

Karkat mumbled to himself and pulled out the one from GC, also commonly known as Terezi Pyrope, a current law student and seemingly the resident blind person, why she types in "L33T SP34K" as the kids call it these days even though she is allegedly a grown-ass woman now has yet to be explained.

**gallowsCalibrator: H3Y CR4BBYG3N3T1CSGUY, 1 TR13D TO 4SK G4MZ 1F 1 COULD GO OV3R TH3R3, BUT H3 B4S1C4LLY D1DNT W4NT TO T4LK 4BOUT 1T, 4T 4LL**

**gallowsCalibrator: YOU 4R3NT D34D 4R3 YOU >:?**

**carcinoGeneticist: NO, I DID NOT DIE, BUT I WOULD RATHER NOT TALK ABOUT IT EITHER.**

**gallowsCalibrator: WH3R3 TH3 H3LL 4R3 YOU TH3N? 1 N33D TO KNOW B3C4US3 1M COMING OVER WITH S3N4TOR L3MONSNOUT**

**carcinoGeneticist: I'M CURRENTLY HOLED UP IN STRIDER'S PLACE, I JUST NOW GOT THE CHANCE TO SET MY XBOX UP, HE'S AT WORK THOUGH.**

**gallowsCalibrator: OH D4RN >:[ 1 S3R1OUSLY W4NT3D TO T4LK TO HIM TOO, GOOD N3WS 1S: 1 KNOW TH3 PL4CE**

**carcinoGeneticist: REALLY? DOES EVERY ONE OF YOU HEADSMACK-WORTHY IRRITATING BALL-SNIFFING BUFFOONS KNOW THIS PLACE?**

**gallowsCalibrator: 1F YOU M34N 4LL US FROM SCHOOL TH3N Y34H, 3SS3NT14LLY**

**gallowsCalibrator: BUT YOU WOULDNT 3X4CTLY KNOW, YOU K1ND4 R4N OFF W1TH G4MZ 4ND F3LL OUTT4 TH3 LOOP 4 B1T, WHY, 1F 1 M4Y 4SK >:?**

**carcinoGeneticist: BECAUSE, DARE I BE HONEST ONE FUCKING TIME, I GOT BUSY, THEN SORT OF FELL FOR HIM, BECAME AN UNEMPLOYED DROP-OUT, HONESTLY I'M BETTER OFF NOW**

**gallowsCalibrator: Y34H, 1 COULD S33 WH3R3 TH4T L1N3 OF D3C1S1ONS L3D TO TH4T**

**gallowsCalibrator: 4ND 1M TH3 BL1ND G1RL H3H3H3H3**

**carcinoGeneticist: OH YES, IT JUST WOULDN'T BE ONE OF OUR CONVERSATIONS WITHOUT A BLIND JOKE  
**

**gallowsCalibrator: W3LL, 1 SHOULD G3T OFF MY XBOX 4ND BOTH3R YOU FOR R34L, 1'LL 3V3N L3T YOU P3T L3MONSNOUT M4YBE, TZ PYROP3 OUT B1TCH3S >:]**

 

After finishing that conversation, Karkat goes onto an  _Xbox_   _Live_ server on one of the many shooter games in his collection, firing his weapon into each enemy that came by. Of course he heard a knock coming from the front door so he glanced at the clock, Dave's shift wasn't supposed to be done yet, he removed his headset and turned off the console and walked to the door, opening it.

"Hey, if you're looking for Strider he isn-"

It was Bro Strider, standing a whole foot taller than Karkat, sun glinting off his shades. "He?" Bro crossed his arms, eyebrow cocked. "Is Dawn at work?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kitten/kitty is his cute pet name? Why yes it is.
> 
> And immediately after that point ("I'm calling you kitten") this is what happened in our chat.
> 
> CG: (-insert obvious KARKITTY! :33 reference-)  
> TG: (Oh my god)  
> CG: (*pawnces*)
> 
> https://somenerdupwriting.wordpress.com/ is my new blog launched like, over a week ago!


	13. Chapter 12: An Assortment of non-major Sideplot Shenanigans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Number 1: Kankri's Lament, a blog post. In which Kankri realizes that just maybe he is an ass.
> 
> Number 2: Vriska uses bad PUA advice
> 
> Number 3: Nepeta's Diary Entry #4565 (Coming Soon)
> 
> Number 4: Rose complains to Kanaya (Coming Soon)

#1

So today I went over to New York City to meet with my younger brother and a mutual acquaintance down in a small eating establishment. I decided to go up there at first to make connections with others involved in activism, as well as check up on my family member, as I had not seen him in quite some time. However, I think I may have done something terrible. I misgendered this mutual acquaintance.

In the interest of not repeating any mistakes, and of keeping people's privacy in tact I will be calling this acquaintance "DS" and, unlike at the eatery, using he/him pronouns. Anyways, DS and my younger brother were having a nice lunch, that I must admit that I ruined. He (DS) had been rather quiet, and I probably just made everything worse.

Almost as immediately as I made my mistake he was up and away, quickly running who knows where. Then, and normally I wouldn't like him doing this, Karkat, that is my younger brother from earlier, he chewed me out. But, I do realize that I deserved it then. I probably deserved it many, many other times to for making people uncomfortable, or outright insulting them.

I've... been called certain things in the past. Among those are: annoying, long-winded, self-serving, judgmental, arrogant, whiny, ect. As evidenced by some asks I have gotten here at this blog. Among other criticisms leveled were that there were some issues I have payed too little attention too, and maybe those criticisms are all correct, and as such I should have not "flown off the handle" when people said such things.

Maybe I just need a break from this blog, so as not to cause any more incidents that may trigger somebody. My apologies everyone.

\------------------------------------

#2

Vriska Serket always got what she was determined to get, always, all the time. So when she got fuzzy romancey feelings for that wheelchair-bound Tavros kid she helped around campus, she of course had to take him on at least one date... maybe eight.

She walked up and rapped a hand against his door. It opened and he rolled out, waving goodbye to some guy still sitting in his dorm room wearing clown makeup. She rolled him down the hall.

"New roommate Nitram?"

"U-uh, yeah! I mean, kind of? Maybe?"

"That's nice. Glad to know I might not have to carry your whole load now."

"That's uh-"

"Though, if we could trade spots and I get to help you while you're in the tub, I wouldn't mind."

"U-um? Okay, Vriska, uh, you're um, flirting with me even more blatantly then like, ever before, are you feeling well?"

This "technique" of insulting him before giving complements was picked-up from a pick-up artist forum she had been visiting recently. It was known as "negging". (By the way, it's a terrible idea)

"What, you and your legs not ready for a change of pace?"

"That uh, I feel that's, needlessly rude Vriska... are y-you uh, ill with something? What's gotten into you?"

"Oh, I'm very ill Tavros, I got bitten by the love bug."

Tavros went silent for the rest of the day, not really responding to her. Vriska wondered why he reacted so negatively... this called for more advice from the forums! After she dropped Tavros back at his place she got onto her computer and asked them if he was "testing" her somehow.

"Yeah, I think it is, you just gotta persist dude." said one of the creepy forum-dwellers.

Then, Vriska checked in to ask her old partner-in-crime, Terezi Pyrope, about this.

"WOW VR1SK4, D1DNT R34L1Z3 YOU FOLLOW3D 4DV1CE FROM STUP1D 1D1OT DUMBBR41NS FOR YOUR LOV3 L1F3"

Terezi then found herself blocked on both Pesterchum AND Xbox Live.

PSSH, SH3LL G3T OV3R 1T 3V3NTU4LLY.

\-----------------------------------

#3


	14. Chapter 13: Bad News Bro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bro Strider has arrived at "Dawn's" home and run into Karkat Vantas, does this bode incoming disaster?
> 
> (As for chapter 12, that shall be updated further later. I am currently working on the next half, and let's just say Vriska reading bad Pick-up artist advice goes as well as you could imagine it does.)

Karkat let Bro into the house, wheels slowly turning before it clicked how bad this could turn out. He had to figure out a way of contacting Dave with a warning without drawing any attention and having the secret be blown. Dave would be utterly screwed, he's already had top surgery not like you can magically regrow boobs and avert catastrophe.

Bro walks in and nods. "You must be her boyfriend. How did Dawn get a cute one like you?"

Karkat pays little attention to the man's teasing and opens up his phone to shoot a quick text.

**CG: BRO'S HERE**

After texting that he looks back to Bro and shrugs "Eh, am I even that cute really?"

"Yup. If you were my age and a chick then I'd bang you."

"Must be fucking genetic or something of that sort then."

Bro nodded, shades glinting "Must be. You better be good to my girl though."

"Oh, I try to be," Karkat assures him, playing along with calling Dave "Dawn", and a girl "But I apparently scare every other living being off."

"Good." Bro sighed, sitting and stretching himself on the other side of the couch, evidently making himself comfortable in the home of his younger sibling. "I miss when she was my little Princess." Bro began a speech, "she used to act like the little girl that God had made her... then oh... my sweet Dawn... she got into all the things boys like, like cars and swords and fighting?" He sat there shaking his head. "It was awful, and she even asked me to call her Dave once, I'm so glad that I knew a therapist."

Karkat interjected with his own words, turning this into a dialogue, "I kind of just assumed that swords were a Strider thing."

"For the Strider men." Bro insisted, "my little girl shoulda liked dolls."

Karkat shrugged "That's kind of a stereotype."

 "I know, but she used to. She used to at one point but then just stopped." Bro sighed again "I remember that she smiled one day when somebody mistakenly called her little boy, she didn't even correct the guy."

Karkat had to go along with this whole "she" business, but in the interest of not leaking secrets he went along with it. "Well, I think maybe... that it was just so he moved along with his day, being courteous and shit, avoid starting a brawl."

Bro nods, considering this. "Just, sometimes I wish she had."

 "What, started a fight?"

"No, corrected that asshole!" Bro shot back. He huffed, "shouldn't have allowed her to cut her hair or let her get her own clothes at the mall."

"Well, eventually small people grow up into their own big people who make their own decisions." Karkat commented dryly.

After that there was an awkward silence that hung about the room, barely even cut through by the noises of the flashing television.

.......

 Hours of not much happening later the two inside turned to face the door when the door nob turned and Dave walked in, wearing a dress and stuffed bra. "Karkat, I'm home." he called, forcing the pitch of his voice up.

"Hey Lil Sis!" Bro says, hopping over to 'Dawn'.

Karkat went up and hugged "her" (Karkat mentally put about a thousand quotation marks around that pronoun.)

Dave put a kiss on the top of Karkat's forehead. This was painfully uncomfortable.

"Welcome home."

"Yeah, I missed you." Dave turned and waved at Bro."

Karkat rubbed his hand on the back of his neck, "You have a good day?"

"Yeah I did." Dave smiled, but Karkat could clearly tell this was a fake 'oh dear fucking god somebody help me, sos' type of smile rather than genuine happiness.

Bro approached the two "Hey, I missed you a whole lot lil Sis."

Vantas decided to ease some of the tension by delving directly into self deprecating humor "How much money did you earn to feed this irritable moocher?" His hands pointed directly at himself.

Dave responded to this with "Which do you mean? Cuz I'm not sure you're the moocher Karks."

"It's none other than me of course, I'm the only one here without a job. It is I, Moochy McMoocherson."

"Pssh, making pornomuppets isn't a job. I'm technically the only one here with any money."

"I thought those shitty smut dolls were oddly successful."

"They do, Dawn's just being a dick." Bro crossed his arms and Dave slightly winced, hoping it would go unnoticed.

"Yeah, that's me. Dawn. Being a dick like normal."

 "And that's probably how we wound up together in this apartment. Whatever deity is up there in the vast reaches of the fucking cosmos just looked down upon us and said "wow, these two assholes are amazing and should totally live together." Karkat said, and Dave nodded.

Bro smirked. "You two are a cute couple."

"I have, in fact, been claimed as 'adorabloodthirsty' in certain circles."

Dave bopped Karkat's nose. "That's because you are, dork."

Karkat noticed his lips were chapping by this point. "I'm thirsty, did Bro bring the fizzy-ass multicolored party cola drinks?"

Bro nodded "Hell yeah, I brought up some Faygo."

Karkat heard that as he walked to the fridge and opened the door, looking and yup, that was definitely Faygo. He tried to contain himself and not wince or run away screaming obscene words.

[Let's play a game. Who does Bro hurt more? Featuring our contestants: Dave and Karkat!]

.....

Dave held back what he'd been wanting to say, and wound up quietly on the couch, waiting for soda to be poured out for him and the others. Karkat then returned with cola, leaving glasses out for everyone, starting to sip his own. The elixir of choice for certain ex-roommate almost-boyfriends slip down his gullet. He was seated in between the two Striders.

"Dawn" leaned on Karkat, body trembling slightly.

Bro sips his soda and then asks "So, where did you lovebirds meet anyway?"

Karkat began sarcastically making up a story, "Well, you see, it all started back in ancient Greece when I went to meet with Zeus."

Dave poked him in the cheek. "College, we had English together."

"Yeah, there was that. But if I recall correctly youse came up here some time during high school, if that counts."

"Me beating you up in high school doesn't count."

Bro frowned, "Dawn, fighting isn't for young ladies like yourself."

"Pssh, you didn't beat me up. It was more like trading creatively worded taunts. I don't remember your words congealing together in a literal fist to punch me literally in the face."

"As long as my little girl ain't fighting."

Dave had fallen completely silent, and so Karkat wrapped an arm around "her" and started off "And then there was English in college, that has plenty of stories."

Bro nodded and looked at each of the pair. "Really? What happened there?"

"We had this whole clique of these douchenozzle idiotbrains that used to hang around and act rather stupid."

"Really? She always said y-"

"She" had bolted up and across to the bedroom as Karkat was speaking.

"Yeah. We had, uh, Egbert and Py-"

Bro quirked an eyebrow. "What's with her?"

"Difficulties at work from what I've heard." He partially lied while casually sipping his soda. "Oh, and before we were a thing, which was more recent of a development... there was a prior boyfriend."

"Oh? That's no good..."

"It was kind of a mess, so that's likely a factor" is what Karkat said out loud, but internally he was practically screaming at Bro "OR, YOU KNOW, THE FACT HE'S A GUY"

"Ah, okay." Bro understood, drinking more of his soda.

Karkat attempts to pull off a Rose and calmly, thoughtfully gather himself over this drink.

"Anything else that might be bothering her?"

The irritation in Karkat built, but he continued calmly swishing his drink around. "Yeah... I think so."

"Oh? And what might that be?"

"It may be due to certain...ugh." His facade was slowly crumbling, he wasn't used to NOT yelling at somebody this long. His grip on the glass got tighter as he sipped it again.

"What? What is it?"

"Well..." his grip got so tight the glass began showing cracks, and Karkat remembered back to yesterday's incident with Kankri, making him further infuriated. The words began shooting out of him like lightning "Maybe DAVE is upset because HIS brother is being a tremendous fucking asshole to HIM. And it kind of reminds me when another idiot brother, mine, pulled this same type of shit, albeit accidentally in that sorry loser's case." As his rant went on, more cracks formed in the glass. And by the end of it the glass had shattered, spilling the remainder of the cola and cutting open Karkat's hand.

Bro looked slightly alarmed at the outburst, staring intently at the injuries on Karkat's hand, though he had seen similar things to this before. Only then did his brain process the flurry of words. "Wait, who the hell is Dave? Who were you-... oooooh. Oh." Bro fell silent, looking like he himself was about to yell at someone before calming back down. "Cool. Go get... Dave? Yeah? Anyway, go tell him I'm ordering a pizza and tell him to go get his normal clothes."

Karkat took a moment, hand dripping blood from his cut. Then he turned away from Bro and to his hand. "We... might want to gauze this first. BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BLEED ALL OVER HERE!"

"True. I'll deal with that. Gimme your hands."

Bro wrapped Karkat's injury with gauze, Karkat looked up at him and asked "Do you just carry that around?"

"Whenever I come to see Daw-Dave, yes."

Karkat coughs. "Probably a good idea."

"I meant for strifing, for self defense training."

"Yeah, I get that. What did you think I meant when I said that it was a good idea?"

"Shit..."

"Did I... say something?"

Bro cut and taped the gauze firmly around Karkat's hand, that task was done now.

"No, but you implied other things. He doesn't..." Bro couldn't finish that sentence.

.....

The two entered the room and began searching. Dave was nowhere to be seen in the main section of the room, him being holed away in the closet in the corner, away from them.

Karkat cupped one hand around his mouth and called out "Well, we're looking around this room for Dave."

Dave peaked out through a small crack in the door, concealer running down his face and new cuts along his hands and arms.

Karkat noticed this small crack and got an idea. He turned to Bro. "I have no idea where he could be, so let's just get pizza by ourselves."

"Pizza...?" he whispered, coming out of the closet.

Bro looked down, nodding. "Yeah little man."

Karkat offered Dave a hand, and Dave pulled himself up with it. Dave looked at Bro.

"You..."

"Karkat told me."

"It was against my better judgement not to." Karkat added.

Dave nodded. "Thank you."

Karkat began to leave the room, "I'm getting hungry, let's get this shit going."

Bro stops him. "No, you boys stay here. I'll get it. And Dave... you change your clothes before I get back, ya hear?"

Karkat is let go and moves on "Whatever, I'll just be on the couch if you need me."

.....

Dave nodded, Bro left to get the pizza. A few minutes later Karkat was about to stand up when all of a sudden he is tackled back down onto it. The assailant was none other than Dave.

He hugged Karkat tight, before realizing something, blinking. "You kissed me this morning."

Karkat, still flustered from the hugtackle sheepishly tried avoiding the outright statement that he, in fact, did kiss Dave this morning, says "Did I now?"

"I was just waking up... and you kissed me. Sorta like... this." And Dave kissed Karkat directly on the lips. Karkat found himself kissing back, feeling... suddenly happier, less stressed. But he was still hungry for that pizza so Bro better fucking hurry his ass up and bring that food.


	15. EPILOGUE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A time skip occurs, and we find our main two characters in a cafe, watching a video Karkat made for Media class. Yep! He's back in school.
> 
> [The next updates will be adding to the assorted side story chapter, but for now, the saga of Strike a Chord has ended. We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when. Some sunny day maybe? ;)]

CHAPTER 14

PLACE: A Local Cafe, New York City  


TIME: A Thursday in October, when the leaves have started falling.  


"Hey, come over here, this is my new project for Visual Media, it's a shitty-ass music video, dedicated to you." Karkat Vantas was leaned over his laptop at the table as Dave brought both of them drinks.

"Oh Kitty, ain't you a great boyfriend?" 

"Shut the hole you call a mouth and use those eyes and ears to witness this!" Karkat clicked play on the laptop, the video loaded.

Dave didn't shut his mouth. "Really? Just for me?"

"Yeah, and Pyrope even volunteered to do the rap bit because I couldn't do it at all and I wanted this to be ironically shitty, not regular shi-" The music started up and interrupted Karkat. The couple sat and watched this project.

The titled faded in, written in comic sans font. Because comic sans is hilarious.  


Soul Decision - "Faded" Cover by Karkat Vantas and T to the Z Pyrope.  


 

[Karkat part]

When I get you all alone

I'm gonna move on in all nice and close

Ain't nobody gonna interrupt my game, oh no no.

Ever since you've been hanging around

I've been trying to figure out

What I can say to you to get some play, yeah yeah

 

Can we do what we did last night again

Baby you and I'd be better friends

Don't you think it's time we went a bit further?

Oh yeah yeah  


 

Every night when we say goodbye

How can I help looking in your eyes

Wondering why, you and I haven't hit it, can we get it on?

I'm kinda faded but I feel alright

Thinkin about makin my move tonight

I can't pretend that you're only my friend when you're holdin my body tight.

Cause I like the way that you move, I like the way you're makin me wait

At the end of the night when I make up your mind, you'll be comin on home with me, yea yea yea

 

You know you got it, and you know I want it

I can't wait to take you home (You know you got it and I)

I don't wanna be rude at all

I just wanna be where you go

Think what we could do alone, yea yea yea

 

Can we do what we did last night again?

Baby you and I'd be better friends

Don't you think it's time we went a bit further?

Oh yeah

 

Every night when we say goodbye

How can I help looking in your eyes

Wondering why, you and I haven't hit it, can we get it on?

I'm kinda faded but I feel alright

Thinkin about makin my move tonight

I can't pretend that you're only my friend when you're holdin my body tight.

Cause I like the way that you move, I like the way you're makin me wait

At the end of the night when I make up your mind, you'll be comin on home with me, yea yea yea

 

[Terezi Part]

When we first met, yeah, that deal was stated

You snapped up my fees the way we compensated

Just another day, around the way

With me up close and everything okay

 

Cause I'm- not like the rest

Indecision with the best

Thoughts for my full court press

 

Just because they hated

Hows it go? Hah

Yo I' faded

 

\------

"Wow kitten. That was actually pretty good. Maybe you could get a job on Broadway for this type of shit."

 

"And what? Become "Broadway Karkat" or something goofy like that?"

 

"That is exactly the thing that I'm suggesting."

 

Karkat sipped the hot chocolate. "Yeah... maybe in another universe."


End file.
